Just Another Cold Night
by Daisaku
Summary: Rejection has finally set upon one Tifa Lockheart, and she leaves a lost man in the place where his love had died. Upon meeting Rufus Shinra, attachments grow and sacrifices are made--but will his cold, rusted heart finally be able to beat again?
1. A Leave of Absence

A/N: I thought this up, like, 3 seconds ago. XD; It's rushed, but it's. . .adequate, I suppose. Durr. I might lose inspiration for it two chapters in. If this happens, IM me or something. XD  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, its characters, etc. I also do not own any part of .hack//SIGN's song, Aura.  
  
//insert something here// = thoughts  
  
*insert something here* = emphasis  
  
+++insert something here+++ = flashback  
  
[] insert something here [] = song lyrics  
  
A/N: Occasionally, after a set of lyrics, it will say the name of some character. That indicates, of course, the character that particular set is based on. ^_^  
  
---  
  
Tifa slowly wrapped a piece of grass around her right-hand index finger, holding her head in the other glove and staring at the horizon with wine-colored eyes. As the grass snapped off the ground, her finger immediatly and unconciously searched for another blade to absentmindedly fiddle with as she contemplated her new decision. //Of course there was nothing you could've done. If he's really happy with his life, then I'm glad.// she thought with a small, reassuring smile as she inhaled the fresh air. The air was scented with that of grass, and the same time, salt; she sat on a canyon rock, the grassy one near the Ancient Forest, where she faced the ocean and remained there, legs swinging but being careful so as to not be scratched by the small ledges below.  
  
It was kind of difficult for the martial artist to accept that, though. Was she doing it to make him happy, or was she persuading herself to move on? Her fist clenched slightly around the grass, yanking it out with overloaded strength, but her smile remained. . .though it seemed more hollow, as her legs became more tense as they swung. //Move on. . .// she thought to herself. Her thoughts shifted back to, oh, it must've been two or three days ago. . .  
  
+++  
  
[] If you are near, to the dark,  
  
I will tell you 'bout the sun. . .[] Tifa  
  
"Cloud. . ." Tifa Lockheart sat one of the thin crystal pillars, which led to the area where Sephiroth had shoved his blade into the heart of the remaining Cetra, and the other volleying for Cloud's affections. She sat very much in the same style as she was today, near Cosmo Canyon, and she gazed at Cloud as he sat near the edge of the water, where the peacefully-resting body of Aeris had been laid to sleep. Yes, this was the City of the Ancients, where she had been killed not so long ago. At that day, three things. . .or people. . .had died: Aeris herself, Cloud's sense of love, and Tifa's hope. Tifa's hopes of being on the recieving ends of Cloud's affections, that is.  
  
The man would only gaze into the water, where the elaborate silhouette of *her* remained, glistening as if casting a blessing upon this place. Cloud Strife, ex-SOLDIER, would blink his turquoise eyes and watch that spot for hours on end. At times, it seemed as if he himself would just leap in and grab her body just so he could stare at her.  
  
Tifa had never thought badly of Aeris Gainsborough--when she was alive, the two were almost like best friends. They would gossip and things about Cloud, and Tifa would tell stories of his childhood. . .and Aeris would laugh and tease Cloud about it as it followed. The mercenary would throw a sort of mock-dirty look at Tifa as Aeris would remind him of things--like young Cloud Strife stealing underwear hanging on a laundry string, young Cloud Strife trying to sneak food from Tifa's house. If it weren't for the matter of Cloud's affection--which really wasn't a competition, but treated as a friendly sport--the two would probably be inseperable.  
  
Tifa struggled to stand up on the tiny column, then leapt to Cloud, her deep brown locks fluttering slightly with every leap. The fists bearing the Premium Heart--almost like a second skin to the martial artist--were clenched as she ran to him. Her pace slowed to a halt as she approached Cloud--her childhood friend, her first love, etc.  
  
"Cloud. . ." she repeated quietly, sinking into a deep crouch next to him. The mercenary stayed silent. Was he even acknowledging her existance? She shook off those negative thoughts and allowed her crimson eyes to gaze into Cloud's. He didn't return the stare. "Cloud. . .do you need anything?" //Like food, or sleep.// she thought, half-worried and half-bitter. Again, there was no reply. ". . .Okay. . .Cloud, if you *do* need anything, I'm here, okay?"  
  
That was the kind of person Tifa was. She didn't want to be cold and dismissive, or bitter. When they defeated Sephiroth, she had followed him here, in hopes of finding some part of him that was lost.   
  
She would follow him to the ends of the Planet.  
  
That was the kind of person Tifa was.  
  
"I. Don't. Care." came a rather bitter reply from the blonde man. By this time, Tifa had stood up and was slowly walking away. . .but she turned harshly as those words smashed through her surface. She was astonished to no end, and there she was--3/4 of the way turned, and staring at Cloud with empty, hurt eyes.   
  
"W-what do you mean?" she stammered, still turned halfway and hit by surprise. Her arms and legs had tensed, and her eyes were as wide as plates.  
  
". . .I know what you're trying to do." Had Cloud Strife gone daft?. . .It had been a year since the defeat of Sephiroth, and maybe Cloud had thought about it long enough to steer him into some terrible train of thought. His words hit her like poison, sapping away at her feelings slowly, and to put it quote plainly: Tifa Lockheart was crushed. ". . .And you can never take her place." Tifa spun around to completely face him, and raised her hands in a sort of "I give in" gesture, the kind people do in *mock* fights.  
  
Although she smiled then, trying to convince herself that he was just going to drop it and forgive her, then resume his. . .schedule. . .her eyes were beginning to form tears.  
  
"I'm not trying to--"  
  
"Yes, you are. You can never take the place of her laugh. . .her smile. . .her tears. Just leave me alone, Tifa. You know, deep down, that I don't want you here." His voice was intensely hostile, and though it didn't raise to more then a careless statement of a "fact," Tifa stumbled backwards, a clenched fist at her heart as if it was struck by something heavy, and painful. ". . .You can stay in this city. . .but it wouldn't do you any good." No, this wasn't the Cloud from last year. This was a man grieving over the loss over his love, a man who had thought a lot about this. . .and suddenly, lost all hope.  
  
He ominously turned his head, the rest of his body not even twitching as he did this. His turquoise eyes burned into hers, the glare full of resent; the Mako glow seemed to be full of resent and thus gave his eyes a sort of neon aura.   
  
Tifa felt some warm, saltine liquid trickle in rivulets down her cheeks. It was tears. Tifa Lockheart hadn't cried since six years ago, when Sephiroth had murdered her father.  
  
She had promised herself to be stronger. She wouldn't cry.  
  
And they were splashing down endlessly. . .  
  
Tifa backed away slowly, almost fearfully, then spun around and broke into a full run--away from the Aeris, away from Cloud. . .She backed against some stony wall, and in a delayed motion sank down on the wall into a sit. Her arms lay at her sides helplessly, and she bit her lip, sniffing rapidly and inhaling as if trying to delay the tears. She tilted her head up and attempted to close her eyes to get them to stop. . .but they wouldn't. . .So she opened her crimson eyes and brought her hands up to her face.  
  
//No way. . .// the martial artist thought to herself, fidgeting. //The tears. . .// Her mouth opened slightly in a gesture of utter despair, allowing the water to spill onto her gloves and down onto her legs, etc. //They. . .won't stop. . .// She inhaled twice again, not allowing a sob to escape, but rather a ragged sound of anguish. Her teeth clenched slightly, and grinded together, as if being strong would stop the hurting. Suddenly, the pain boiled a little more, and a small sob escaped from her lips. But. . .it was too much. . .  
  
And down there, in the empty halls of the City of the Ancients. . .  
  
Tifa Lockheart cried.  
  
[] You will cry, all alone,  
  
But it does not mean a thing to me. . .[] Cloud  
  
. . .The next morning, Tifa disappeared.  
  
+++  
  
Tifa suddenly plopped backwards in the grass, arms spread and eyes again brimming with tears that refused to fall. Her fists clenched and unclenched, knuckles cracking slightly as she did so, and her feet moved around as a sign of anxiety or something. That morning after the incident with Cloud, her head was clear and her heart was heavy, but she boarded her Gold Chocobo, Rydia, and left the Northern Continent. She wasn't sure exactly *where* she was going. She just wanted to be alone. . .  
  
The sun sank beneath the depths of the horizon, allowing darkness to fall and stars to slowly dot the sky in various patterns. The moon was full that night, and at that, a dusty brown-red color as it was, illuminating the continent with its dull specks. She pushed up from her elbows and examined the stars for a while, as if they held some sort of meaning to her, but she shook herself and leapt to her feet with the talent and grace of a gymnast, and clambered onto Rydia. She made her way to. . .  
  
//Where am I going?//  
  
+++  
  
"Yo! Pick up th' phone!" Barret yelled into his PHS with his rough voice, his back towards Marlene's room. Luckily, the wooden door of her room was closed and was rather sturdy. . .In terms of being soundproof. The ringing of the PHS ceased as the reciever picked up, and a monotonous voice answering with a short greeting. "Hey Vampy! We got ourselves a $#^#in' situation!. . .No, not that! %&@(! Cloud called this mornin'! Tifa's missin'! So get yer pale ass down here!. . .Hell yeah! Midgar!"  
  
Around this time--6:21 PM--Cid, Shera, Reeve, and Yuffie had collected at Elmyra's house; IE, the house of the deceased Aeris's stepmother. They had all gathered in the dining room, neatly seated around a wooden table with neat white sheets and fine china around them. Cid had asked for ^#@&ing tea, so they got their #^*!ing tea--but no one drank it except Reeve and Shera. They were the type to stay polite and kind during a *real* situation--and this was enough of a situation for the members of AVALANCHE. It was rather quiet at the moment, though most were fidgety and rather panicky. But hey, who more to break a silence then--  
  
"Mind if we crash the party?" The door was abruptly kicked open, and there stood the half-ominous figures of Reno, Rude, and Elena, Reno wielding his rod, but that was about it--Elena with her amulet, however, and Rude with his fists clenched. Cid leapt up with the Venus Gospel, swinging it expertly as if a preparation for battle. He looked about ready to shove it into Reno's forehead.   
  
"#^**!" Thudthudthudthudthud. Barret came. . .thudding. . .down the steps and shook the Missing Score at the Turks angrily, a vein pulsating in his dark forehead. "^$#* off! We don't have #&@*ing time for you $&@^s right now! So scram yer little asses!"   
  
"@^($ yeah!" Cid tacked on, nudging the Venus Gospel a little forward as if waiting for the red-haired Turk to walk straight into the pointy edge.  
  
"Put the stick down, old man," Reno told Cid in a tone that sounded like he was talking to a 4-year-old. "Relax." He raised his hand in a sort of "I give up" gesture, but with the rod in his hands, it probably wasn't very reassuring. So he pocketed the Electro-Mag Rod and resumed his position. Rude, however people thought him, was actually not that much of a silent man--though he did have an aura of indifference, he made his position clear way back in the Mythril Mines, when he made some threat against AVALANCHE about the Turks. He still didn't like speeches, though. But nonetheless. . .  
  
"As the Turks," began Rude coolly, "we are entitled to defend our president by any means necessary." His hands retreated to behind his back, and the expression of his eyes was unseen behind his ebon shades.   
  
Cid slowly lowered the weapon after glancing at Reeve. Of course. President Reeve of Neo ShinRa. Reeve gave Cid and Barret slow nods, holding up one hand as a reassuring gesture.   
  
"Yeah, even if it means teaming up with *you*." Elena added, throwing AVALANCHE a dirty look (which, by the way, was eagerly returned by Yuffie and Barret). "It's not like we *want* to anyway." Her chocolate-brown eyes relaxed slowly and closed as she put one hand on her waist, then opened as she gazed at them all. Reeve set down his teacup and wiped his mouth with a neatly folded cloth napkin, then stood up. The president straightened his bright red tie and gave both Turks and AVALANCHE a friendly smile.  
  
"It's alright. They're just doing their job." The tension lessened all but slightly as Reeve sat back down, pulling a small remote out of his pocket and fiddling with a joystick and a few buttons. Immediatly, the familiar Moogle and cat waltzed through the doorway, forcing Reno to step aside. Reno's aquamarine eyes followed the doll 'till it came to a short halt by Reeve's side. "If I am unable to attend any section of this 'quest', I will send Cait Sith as my representative. As for the Turks, they do not have to defend the doll--but they are *still* expected to accompany AVALANCHE on this search."  
  
"Fine with me." Reno shrugged it off, sticking one hand in his pocket and slinging the rod over his shoulder. Though Rude, Reno, and Elena (to some extent) seemed nonchalant about this sudden alliance, there seemed to be hints of hostility being thrown around violently. The Turks pulled up chairs and sat down--Reno backwards, notably--glancing around at their surroundings  
  
They waited for Cloud and Vincent to arrive.  
  
---  
  
A/N: Lyrics are from, again, .hack//SIGN's Aura. 


	2. Seeing What Others Can't

A/N: Yeah. And stuff. o_O I notice that I did use +++ +++ for flashbacks, but I made the error of doing it for every section. ^_^; I'll fix it when the second chapter comes up, okay? XD I'm such a retard~ Thats also probably the last time I'll use song lyrics. It felt kind of lame. XD; Thanks for the reviewishness! XD and I'll try, Angel of Silence. But you see, I'm an idiot +_+ and have zero to little experience with HTML in fanfiction. nyurr. If I don't get mauled by a whiffle bat by this time, I'll build a shrine to you in my backyard if you could explain XD  
  
I removed the +++/+++ tags. I started writing this chapter last night, but I'm thinking about the "legend" here. XD For not knowing how to write HTML fanfiction. . .I'm such a loser XD;; Anyway, about the pairings:  
  
To tell you the truth, I'm going really with what direction I think it should head in. ; Does this make me an idiot? Hell yes. But I am partial to Cloud/Tifa. . .or Tifa/Vincent. . .and Yuffie/Vincent. Buuuut, if the reviews are enough to knock me out asking for Cloud/Tifas or Tifa/Vincents or whatnot, then it will probably end up swaying in that direction. o_o; I'm such a sucker. And yes, this will have romance. . .and DOOM. . .and cool. X_x;  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FF7. . .or any of the songs used here, for that matter. O_o; Ahahaha! Guess where Tifa's "stalker" quote came from!   
  
//insert something here// = thoughts  
  
*insert something here* = emphasis  
  
---  
  
"Vincent just called," Reeve said as he marched down the stairs, placing the PHS in his coat pocket. "He won't be coming. He said he has buisness to attend to." He walked to his chair and resumed his casual tea-sipping. Corporate buisness owners are always seen doing something formal by a public, small or not.  
  
"#^(@!" Barret swore loudly, banging one fist on the table so hard, one leg crumpled under his gun-arm. Ignoring the damage, he blatantly stated, "What $&@(ing buisness is more important then finding a fellow $(#@ing member of AVALANCHE?! That ain't righ', man!" Obviously, the leader of AVALANCHE--the leader of the terrorist group, but not the actual decision maker, that is--was extremely upset nonetheless. Tifa was probably the first person to join their ragtag team on invitation, inviting along her friends Jesse and Wedge: who, in turn, invited Biggs.  
  
"Sit your ass down, damnit." Cid tapped the floor with his spear a few times, gnawing on the end of his cigarette impatiently. "%*@(*ing about it won't do jack @&@# for Tifa."  
  
"Why'd she leave anyway?" Elena retorted, examining her nails--colored a slight shade of pink that didn't quite meet her hair and eyes. Realizing this, she began to chip at the polish. "It's been a YEAR. I don't see why she would leave NOW."   
  
Cloud, however, was in a corner of the room, the Ultima Weapon unsheathed safely in its back. He busied himself with his Materia, picking up one orb and placing it in another spot needlessly. It was a waste of time, but it gave him something to think about. Besides, of course, what he'd said THAT day. //Well, how was I supposed to know it would hurt that much?// one voice in his head said in his own defense. Cloud's eye twitched as he forcefully shoved Ultima into one slot. //Easily.// the next argued.  
  
//Should you tell them why she left, Cloud?//  
  
He'd heard her cry, of course, but. . .well. . .//You've only heard her cry once. Once in your entire life. And this is the second time.// There goes that damn voice again. //You really blew it this time, Strife.// He winced slightly, brow knitting in a sort of contemplative frown. At this time, after Elena's comment, he had recieved a few condescending stares from Reno and Cid. They suspected him. Cloud looked icily back up at them, attempting to put on a mask that expressed some kind of worry and yet, innocence.   
  
With a loud clink, his Materia was sorted--in the same way it was before he actually did anything to it--and he stood up, sheathing the enormous sword and eyes cast downward on the ground. His arms hung limply at his sides, his wrists and fists curved into an almost-clenched grip, and he didn't bother to look at any of his comrades--AVALANCHE or Turk.  
  
"Let's go." He recieved a couple of glances, as it seemed a little hurried, but Barret was all for it.  
  
"%&@( yeah. I told you all so." Barret shook his gun-arm wildly, as if proving his point. "Lead da way!" Cloud began to walk out the door, followed by the other AVALANCHE members, until the callous voice of Reno stung Cloud's ears, as if proving some point he didn't necessarily *want*.  
  
"Hold up, Sherlock. Do you even know where you're going?"  
  
"I could search the entire Planet if I wanted to." Cloud replied icily, without turning around.  
  
"Not too bright, are we. Y'see Strife, I just have a little problem with running around the continents searching for one Lockheart." Reno twiddled his rod between his fingers, his bright blue-green eyes boring into the back of Cloud's head. Wait, never mind the back--Cloud spun around offensively, flinging his arm out to the side.  
  
"So DON'T COME. You'll just get in my way."  
  
"Ah-ah-ah, Strife. It's in the job description." Cloud's indifferent attitude had been chipped at considerably, but Reno had never been one to explode in a giant gooey mess of "I-hate-yous" or threats. Or tears for that matter.  
  
"We can protect Reeve by ourselves." Cloud retorted bitterly, eye twitching.  
  
"Tsk tsk, Strife. Always thinking in the wrong direction, ahead of time. Let me go back to my earlier wiseass comment: 'Do you even know where you're going'?" Reno was sitting backwards on the chair, but he put his arms up the top, legs splayed to either side. "Look at it this way: A) the time it takes for us to get to another spot, she could easily hide under a rock or something, B) she was kidnapped, though I highly doubt anyone would kidnap her ass, as beautiful as it is, people don't want to get hit to high hell, C) she wants to be *alone*."  
  
"A) we have the Highwind."  
  
"If we ride too high up to look for her, she's probably sitting, and I quote, 'under a rock'. If we ride too LOW, then we might skewer her with the engine."  
  
"B) She's too tough to get kidnapped."  
  
"Ooh, zing Strife. There are other driving forces besides rape here."  
  
". . . . . ."  
  
"What, no C, Strife? You must really have confidence in your looking skills."  
  
At that moment, Cloud's eyes were cut and narrowed in rage, and he stormed forward as if to try and strangle the opposing Turk. Yuffie caught him by his left arm, but he wrangled in anguish, making it difficult for the young ninja to hold him back. He screamed profanities, as if he had finally snapped at this argument.  
  
"Cloud!" Yuffie exclaimed, skidding on the tip of her boots attempting to hold him back. "Get a grip, Cloud! Cloud!!"  
  
"What the FUCK does it take to get you to shut up?!" Cloud bellowed at Reno, his turquoise eyes filled with rage. Reno, however, was a wiseass instigator and leapt up in defense.  
  
"Shut up? You don't even know what the hell you're doing!"  
  
"I'm looking for Tifa, asshole!"  
  
"That's obviously not what I meant, Strife, and you know it."  
  
"Do you have a better FUCKING plan, because I'd like to hear it."  
  
"It's not like you'd let me follow through with it." Reno sneered. "And what about option C? What if Lockheart wants to be alone? What the hell are you gonna do about that? Drag her back to the City of the Ancients against her will, so she can watch you stare PITIFULLY at that Ancient?!"  
  
". . ."  
  
"Yeah, that's what I thought." Reno finished, folding his arms, though the stuck-out tongue was implied. Through this, Elena had backed away from the writhing image of Cloud, whereas Rude stood there, arms behind his back. "Her chocobo was missing, wasn't it?" he prompted, as if proving his point. Cloud yanked his arm out of Yuffie's grip, staring viciously at Reno. If Cloud had no sense of restraint, he probably would've taken out Ultima Weapon and try to hack off Reno's head, limbs, and introduce him to his intestines. "Maybe we should let her decide if she wants to come to *us*."  
  
". . .No. . ."  
  
"Why not, Strife? Still balancing two women on your shoulders, even if one's dead?"  
  
". . ."  
  
"I think I'm right. And judging from the uncomfortable looks of your fellow hobos, I'd say they're beginning to have their doubts." Cloud didn't bother to look behind him at the AVALANCHE members. He was silent, and his threatening arms moved to his sides. "If she did leave, why would she do it Cloud? Think. Use that spikey head of yours for something."  
  
". . ." //Because I told her I didn't need her. I told her that she could be off on her own for all I gave a damn. Because. . .// "I don't see any reason."  
  
Bad answer.  
  
Reno stared at him contemptuously, as if seeing something Cloud was hiding.  
  
". . .Fine." Reno agreed, much to the surprise to either side--Turk or not. "Let's go."  
  
---  
  
The cold night air was beginning to nip at Tifa's arms and legs, making this one of the very few times she disliked her skimpy attire. She found nothing wrong with her clothes--although some people *certainly* didn't--, as Lord Zangan prompted flexible clothes for quick movement. She folded her arms as goosebumps began to form on her fair skin, dotting her slightly and sending a small feeling of warmth over her body. It wasn't enough, however, and with a quick chant-and-whisper, a small wisp of fire floated in front of her. //Whew.//  
  
She guided the small flame a little ways above a small pile of leaves; autumn had begun to take its toll, drying out the small plants and leaving them almost as a replacement firewood. Taking advantage of this seasonal reaction, she let the little ember rest on the pile, where it quickly caught and erupted. She reached into her small brown pack and yanked out a bit of Mimett Greens, handing it carelessly to Rydia's direction, then closed the pack and curled up near the fire.  
  
Tifa Lockheart hugged her knees to her chest, trying to push Cloud out of her mind and attempting to focus on the task at hand. The way the PHS was designed left a slight flaw in Cid's part--she could listen in whenever she wanted, like she would've if someone *else* of AVALANCHE was missing. And as far as they could tell, they were searching high and low for their kind, caring female friend. That gave her a small sense of security, even if they weren't around; no, this was not some dramatic stage to get people to worry about her. Tifa, though enjoying dramas and soaps (she wasn't a tomboy to Yuffie's extent), wasn't the kind to make her friends feel sorry for her just so she could feel better.  
  
//It's good to know that people care, anyway.// she thought, smiling again and outstretching her hands. When they lowered, she tightened the Premium Heart set on each hand, as if expecting a fight. And she had pretty good reasons too--monsters were still lingering and breeding, no longer mistakes that could be obliterated. . .but now, just a piece of everyday life.  
  
". . ." Tifa's "work" suddenly came to a halt, her left hand still clutching the spandex-like covering of the Premium Heart slowly. Her eyes narrowed, and her voice became low and dangerous. "Who's there?. . ." No reply. "If you're a stalker I'll rip you a new one." The martial artist, before the whole crisis of the Planet, would never have said things with such a bitter tone. But then again, it was probably from hanging around Cid. . .and Barret, and Vincent, and Cloud, and Yuffie. . .  
  
". . ."  
  
"Well?!" Tifa's head spun around viciously to face her predator, only to find a rather large-looking rifle pointed to her forehead.  
  
--- 


	3. The Touch of a Friend

A/N: HOORAH! o_O Ty for the lovely reviews everyone, Unfortunately I still have no clue XD failed experiment, but nonetheless, I will end up writing another story. that uses HTML. Woohoo! WHIFFLE BATS TO EVERYONE _  
  
. . .Note that Yuffie's little pieces are used, considering that *Yuffie* took Cloud out on the date at the Gold Saucer. Difficult? Yes. Possible? Also yes. ^_^ It's a really cute scene, and if you're willing to play through it, it's worth watching I think.  
  
. . .uh. . .o_O It may seem like the couples are out of whack due to some scenes in this chappie--the Gold Saucer flashback, Rufus, etc. etc. Don't hate me because I'm trying to make it seem like other things are going on. . .XD  
  
Disclaimer: Whiffle bats, etc. do not belong to Daisaku. Darnit X_x durr. song used is the english opening of Yu Yu Hakusho. I like it, It's spiffy.  
  
---  
  
Tifa's wine-colored eyes widened, the tip of the gun pressing into her forehead. She could practically *feel* the ring being imbedded into her forehead, but her fists clenched at her sides and tensed to prevent slight trembling on her part. Her brow knitted into a vicious frown, and with one swift motion of her wrist she hurled the gun upwards at her attacker's face. By the lack of splatting or something, it obviously didn't make contact, but it was enough for her to leap out of the way.  
  
Her eyes adjusted to the darkness as the flame from her little spell dispersed, and her eyes glowed a little--either to aid with seeing in the dark, or from the slight Lifestream contact. . .but anyway, her eyes cut as she focused on her attacker.  
  
"Rufus Shinra. What do you think you're doing?"  
  
Rufus ran a hand through his blondish hair as he leaned on his shotgun with his left forearm, the other hand on his waist and bending forward. He smirked slightly, and maybe a little suggestively at Tifa, who returned the stare spitefully. Last time, Tifa thought he was killed by Diamond WEAPON's explosions. In fact, she was almost *positive* he had. But there he was, looking perfectly fine--though his white (or silvery) trenchcoat had slight streaks of tears of rips, and there seemed to be charred spots on his face and hands. In fact, there was a long streak of a scar running from his left eye to nearly the right side of his neck.  
  
"Passing through." he answered smoothly, as if trying to assassinate a savior of the Planet was almost as simple as picking begonias from an open meadow. "There is no problem." he added, tilting back up and propping the gun on his shoulder.  
  
"I'm sure there isn't." she replied calmly, walking calmly to Rydia and patting her on the neck, then, she whistled and walked off. ". . .Is there any particular reason you're following me, MISTER Shinra?"   
  
Flowing in the crowd  
  
In a faceless town  
  
I need to feel the touch of a friend  
  
"Not one." came the nonchalant reply, paired with a condescending look.  
  
"So, to put it lightly, buzz off, Mister Shinra. I don't really enjoy having to care about a gun pointing to my head in my sleep." Tifa clambered onto the gold Chocobo, patting her lightly and holding a small Sylkis green in front of her face. She retracted it as she felt the eating motions emitting from Rydia, then began to allow it to trot off in some random, inane direction. She could travel the world for all she cared. The freedom was refreshing for once.  
  
Unfortunately, Rufus, stalker anonymous, trotted after her on some black panther-type creature resembling Dark Nation. The vein in Tifa's forehead pulsated in irritation, and her head spun around.  
  
"Did you hear me? Go away." she retorted, throwing her arms up in frustration. Rufus smirked and chuckled. //What kind of stalker freak IS this guy?!// she mouthed to herself, folding her arms and awaited an answer. If she was gonna get one, anyway. She just *knew* he was going to do something--be it stupid, or perverse, or murderous.   
  
"I don't see a reason for me to stop. I also have no reason to cause you harm." he said calmly. "As you can see, the Shin-Ra company no longer focuses on the original family."  
  
//. . .So basically what he's telling me--// "You're going to be following me, aren't you." It was more of a statement then a question, but she could practically feel Rufus nodding his head behind her. //Arrogant bastard.// "And just why?" Tifa inquired, body tilting backwards from on Rydia, her crimson eyes boring into Rufus's stale blue ones.  
  
"I have nowhere to go."  
  
Tifa blanched slightly, frowning. Similar dilemmas, yes: Tifa was alone with no one to go to, Rufus was alone with nowhere to go to. But fact stood that Tifa still held an intial grudge against the former president. One, he was an asshole that enjoyed pissing off people. Two, he was arrogant. Three, he was persistant. Oh yeah, and four: he was in ShinRa and attempted to suck out all the Mako from the Promised Land. And Tifa despised the idea of a person like this following her. Normally, she wouldn't've minded, if he hadn't tried to kill her about 15 minutes ago. . .  
  
Tifa fought the urge to give a small, visible smile. Cid, Yuffie, and Barret must've rubbed off on her after all those times.  
  
She sighed, her gentle side taking over, and simply trotted off into the distance, Rufus not far behind. //Besides, if he does anything, I could just beat him up.// she thought, attempting to compensate for her lack of "toughness". She sighed again with dismay, allowing the ex-president to tail not far behind.  
  
And silence reigned.  
  
In the country side  
  
I wonder far and wide  
  
The isolation gets me again  
  
"If you feel the need to follow me, then I suppose I should let you know that I'm not going anywhere in particular." she stated to see if there would be any reaction. She peered over her shoulder, her brown locks tilting to the left as she did so. Rufus, who placed his shotgun in a holster propped on Dark Nation v.2's shoulderblade (yes, *version*--Dark Nation was no ordinary panther), gave her a look that clearly said "I don't really care". The vein in her forehead pulsated again, and she grit her teeth. He followed, despite probably feeling the murderous rage emitting from Tifa. But she quickly regained her composure, sighed, and continued going. . .  
  
I dont know where to go  
  
When I feel like talking all night   
  
Its time to open myself  
  
Do something new  
  
I want to stop and grow up again  
  
---  
  
"So, we splittin' up?" Barret Wallace inquired of Cloud, folding his huge arms and lumbering at least a foot above everyone else. Cloud shrugged, standing near the front and folding his arms. ". . .Awrigh'. Jes' hopin' you know what you doin'." Barret scratched the back of his head with the Missing Score, which looked like a rather odd task.  
  
"Are you taking *his* side?" Cloud seethed, glancing up at Barret with a vicious look on his face. Barret backed away a little, before shaking his head.  
  
"Naw, hell naw. But I been thinkin'. . ." Barret slowly trailed off, looking to the side, obviously contemplative of what would happen if he was outright with the spikey-headed team captain. He decided that it wasn't worth it, and turned, walking into the inside part of the Highwind. Taking note of Yuffie, he walked over to the 16-year-old ninja. "Yo, you okay?"  
  
"About as fine as roadkill," came the sardonic reply as she breathed heavily in order not to. . .uh. . .upchuck. "Ugh. . .we're out of Tranquilizers. . ." Her face turned about as green as the top she wore. She began to wail melodramatically. "I'm too young to die! I haven't stolen Cid's cigarettes yet! I haven't dyed Vincent's cape hot pink! I haven't made Tifa wear something low-cut! IT CAN'T END LIKE THIS!"  
  
"Uh. . .yeah. . .whatever." Barret sweatdropped and watched Yuffie in either amusement, worry about her mental stability, etc.  
  
"I, I, I haven't seen Cloud with his hair down! I haven't successfully pulled Red XIII's tail! OH, WOE IS MEEEE!" she heaved, the green color unknowingly disappearing from my face.  
  
"Uh. . ."  
  
". . .Well, whaddaya know. I'm not dying after all. I guess incessant ranting is more awesome then it already is." Yuffie stood up slowly, rubbing the back of her head with the "sockish thing" (as Cid put it).   
  
"Did you ask Spikes for a Tranquilizer, though? I'd be damned if he doesn't keep all the stuff to himself."  
  
". . .Not really. . .Woah! Woah--" The ninja began breathing heavily again, the green returning to her face. She instinctively placed one hand to her mouth and limped to the front of the ship, approaching Cloud slowly. "Hey Spikes. . .got a spare. . .ugh. . .Tranquilizer?" she asked meekly, grinning from ear to ear as she asked. Much to the ninja's contempt, the mercenary didn't bother to look at her. She frowned, the color draining from her face. "Hey! Look at me when I'm speaking to you, you spikey-headed idiot!"  
  
No reply.  
  
"Soooo--! You think you can just IGNORE your bestest pal! And more or less, ME!" This fit of rage forced Yuffie to forget her nausea in order to successfully scream angrily at Cloud. "Pfft! I thought you were a cool guy, Strife! Now you're just. . .just. . .UGH!" The Shinobi threw her arms up and ran into the cabin.  
  
---  
  
*FLASHBACK*  
  
Yuffie knelt on the back of the Gondola, hanging out and watching the fireworks explode. Normally, she would've turned a verdant color in a fit of nausea, but she was way too damn excited to let a little thing like "motion sickness" get in her way. Her grayish-purple eyes scanned the horizon, and often widened in an expression of astonishment as fireworks would explode only meters away from the Gondola.  
  
Yes, she *was* enjoying herself.  
  
Cloud kept his arms folded and his head tilted downwards, eyes glued to the wooden floor. Yuffie sighed inwardly: "keep me company" she said, and. . .well, he *was*. But still, it was kind of awkward. //Y'know, people on dates really don't do stuff like this. . .wait, this is a date?// The ninja glanced over her shoulder idly--so passively, you could hardly notice she was actually looking at him. . . It wasn't like she hadn't dragged him with her for any reason. I mean, the idiot kind of *ruined* the play. Yuffie had slapped Cloud and proceeded to kick the hell out of the Evil Dragon King.  
  
//Heheh. That was kind of funny.// she thought, smiling slightly to herself as she watched a few Chocobos make their way around the course. A white one made a small leap as the one behind it nudged it slightly, causing one of its feathers to hop up and become lost in the dark.  
  
Yuffie proceeded to stand up, walk to the other end of the Gondola and kiss Cloud on the cheek. (A/N: I don't exactly remember how this happened. ^_^; Sorry, but I'm doing the best I can. . .) She nonchalantly stood and walked back to the opposite side, kneeling on her wooden bench-y seat and staring out the window, attempting to hide her face.  
  
Okay, so it must've been easier to read the back of her head then she would've thought. Clearly, though she wasn't trembling or anything, she was completely and utterly mortified. //DAMN THESE TEENAGE HORMONES! AAAHHHH--// Cloud, however, was silent, though color speckled his face as he continued to stare at the floor, as if there was something really awesome about it that only he could see.  
  
As the Gondola ride came to a close, Yuffie attempted to minimize contact as they wormed their way out of the Gondola, attempting to flush the bright red under her eyes. She rubbed her face frantically--even the cool night air did *not* help the fact that her face was probably the color of a firetruck, and that her cheeks burned with horror.  
  
"Cloud?" she asked tentatively. Cloud turned his face away, obviously hiding any sort of emotion. Good. She might've not been able to handle it. "Say something! . . .Anything! Break the silence!" Yuffie encouraged, arms hanging limply at sides.  
  
". . . . .Something."   
  
*SLAAAAP*  
  
---  
  
A/N: XD wow. I don't remember a lot about the date thing. If I did it wrong. . . well, deal with my horrible memory XD 


	4. Missing You Dearly

A/N: MOO! X.o;  
  
Yeah, it does make this sound it'll be stuck on romance, doesn't it? X_x oy. I guess that's how it'll be for a couple of chapters. Don't worry, I'll do my best to make it as. . .uh. . .spiffy as the summary sounds. XD But for now, deal with the mushy stuff! It's only for a chapter or two!  
  
Disclaimer: FF7 is not my pal. Also Alanis Morissette's song, "Hands Clean," doesn't like me either. o_O I'm so unloved. SOB!  
  
---  
  
Tifa sat on the beaches near Junon--despite the enormous city looming over most of it, it had cleaned up considerably over the years without the use of Mako energy. . .also, the city had been reduced to a minimal size due to lack of *need* for it. She hugged her knees to her chest, tracing along the sand with one finger. She had ignored Rufus Shinra for the past couple of days, and had almost forgotten about his existence if not for his occasional complaints. She peered down at her small sand-doodle.  
  
A "well-drawn" head, with spikey hair, and eyes with strange features. . .  
  
If it weren't for your maturity, none of this would have happened  
  
If you weren't so wise beyond your years, I would've been able to control myself  
  
If it weren't for my attention, you wouldn't have been successful  
  
And if it weren't for me, you would never have amounted to very much  
  
She quickly swept her hand over the small drawing, frowning slightly as she did so. She bit her lip, and her eyes filled with tears--a shame, too, as she had almost pushed that incident out of her mind. . .but, she found out that she couldn't cry. Not even honoring her promise: not to cry anymore. The tears wouldn't fall. For some reason, that relieved her, and the tears quickly dried.   
  
"Lockheart," a cold voice rang out behind her. "Where are we sleeping for the night?" Rufus stood far away--so far away, so as to not be standing on sand. The large Dark Nation sat obediently nexted to his master, being careful not to be hit by his flowing double coats, and made a short roar so as to agree with him.   
  
"Who's *we*?" Tifa retorted, glaring over her shoulder, allowing the light to hit her eyes and give them a peculiar glimmer. Her hand pressed flat on the sand, creating the mark of a hand with a dangerous glove on the grains of sand. The ocean begin to sit on the horizon, creating the ideal scene for some kind of movie, and the sky turned a salmon pink--though, as your eyes progressed more to the East, an indigo color. Rufus looked at her as if she was some kind of idiot.  
  
"We. You and I. Lockheart and Shinra. Do the math." he said slowly, in a tone that would indicate he was speaking to a four-year-old.  
  
"I don't care where *you* go. You could sleep on Meteor for all I care." Tifa turned her head back to face the sunset, though she winced a ltitle at the brightness of the sun. The cool air and the sun made for a relaxing combination.  
  
"Miss Lockheart, I presume you find sleeping on the beach more comfortable then sleeping in a hotel?" he asked, tilting his head in a wiseass kind of way. His arms were behind his back, and his face remained totally devoid of expression, though occasionally an eyebrow or two would raise. Tifa rolled her eyes. Recieving no reply, he added, "The Five-Star Hotel in Junon, if you're interested at some point or another."   
  
With that, Rufus propped his shotgun onto his shoulder and turned, the inner trenchcoat fluttering dramatically in the wind. His head tilted from side to side, creating loud cracks and allowing his blonde hair to shift slightly as did his black turtleneck, and he walked off indifferently, his image soon disappearing from view. Tifa rolled her eyes again and continued to stare at the horizon. She didn't know hoe long she stayed there after that, but as far as she could remember she stared at some fixed point in the sky, and the sun had already set.  
  
//What should I do?// she thought. Tifa was well aware that they were all searching for her in worry, and she hated making people worry. But still, they couldn't tell that she didn't necessarily want them near her.   
  
She was beginning to get a little cold. Her arms folded, and shivering, she stood, brow knitted in contemplation. After this, she limped over to Junon, and slowly walked into town. It was dark, and most of the lights were turned off, except for the street lights which illuminated the stone road slightly. She walked slowly to the elevator and pushed open the door, walking slowly onto the lift. The door closed, and a wave of temporary warmth washed over her body--temporary, as in, disappearing when she arrived at the upper city.  
  
The cold was beginning to sting, and she dashed for the hotel, shoes making quiet sounds against the half-empty streets. As Tifa approached the closed door, she extended her hand and turned the knob slowly so as to not make any noise, then pushed the door open. She was surrounded by the heat, quickly relaxing her and prompting a breath of relief. She tiptoed to the rooms and walked in quietly, trying not to make any noise.  
  
Bed one. . .Taken. Bed two. . .Taken. Bed three. . .Rufus.  
  
Her eyes shifted to the thin sofa, and she edged over to it and sat down. Her rear was suddenly disturbed by a piece of metal, and she let out a small yelp as she jumped up. One hand flew to her mouth, and she stared at the oppressor. The sofa was in poor shape.  
  
Ooh, this could be messy, but you don't seem to mind  
  
Ooh, don't go telling everybody and overlook this supposed crime  
  
//God, it's almost like some horrible twist of fate.// she thought sardonically, eyes once again shifting to the bed occupied by Rufus. She sighed inwardly, convinced this was some terrible conspiracy, and walked slowly to the bed. She took off her shoes and gloves, slowly walking to the opposite side of the bed and slowly lowering herself in. She quickly turned, her back to Rufus. //This is so stupid.// she thought in a very Yuffieish way, biting her lip and rolling her eyes. She pulled the tie out of her hair , allowing it to curl slightly at the tips as she set it aside.  
  
The warmth was comfortable, though, and she drifted off into sleep without even noticing.   
  
---  
  
"We'll split up. Yuffie, Reno, Reeve, and Cait Sith in one group; me, Barret, and Elena in another; Red XIII, Cid, and Rude in the last." Cloud finished, standing at the head of the operations room and folding his arms, staring at everybody with a face empty and blank.   
  
"Splittin' up the Turks, Strife?!" Reno burst out incredulously. He adjusted the sunglasses on his head. "Look, man, I know you're paranoid, but we ain't splittin' up."  
  
"Yes, you are." Cloud seethed, his eyes no longer the normal blue, but an opaque type. It was startling to see the effects of Mako acting up again, and this disturbed people to some ends.  
  
"Reno." Rude gave Reno a look, and he promptly shut up. Reno was indeed the "leader" of the Turks since the passing of Tseng, but there was always this demeanor of Rude's that was always to be respected. The bald man didn't need to act tough in order to command obedience. . .there was something about being tall, and no one knowing your eye color, and only talking in either one complete sentence at a time or one word that was mysterious. Over the years, Reno had also tried to fix up Elena and Rude several times.  
  
"Good." Cloud said, staring straight ahead of him as the Highwind floated aimlessly. He recieved a couple of dirty glances from Yuffie and Reno, a couple of curious ones from Elena, Cid, and Reeve, but he ignored them as he turned around. The sound of retreating footsteps rang in his ears, and as soon as he was thinking everyone had left, he quietly began to sing (or hum) to himself--no specific lyrics, but rather. . .  
  
"Nice song, Strife." Reno's calm voice hit his ears. (A/N: ^_^ Tifa's theme.)   
  
"Reno. . .go away. . ."  
  
"Didn't I used to hear Lockheart sing that to herself in the bar?" Reno asked, flipping a strand of his flaming red hair over his shoulder. Cloud's hands, which were behind his back and clutching the other, slowly dropped to his sides. His head sank slightly, though his blonde spikes were still visible as he faced the board.  
  
"Go away."  
  
". . .Rufus escaped from the medical hospital the other day."  
  
"Rufus. . .Shinra?"   
  
"Cya later, Strife." Reno stood up and walked out.  
  
---  
  
The sun shined in through the windows of the Five-Star Hotel, prancing around in Tifa's eyes. She slowly opened them, blinking rapidly so as to reduce exposure to the sun, and attempted to get rid of the specks forming in front of them. She had slept well that night, from having not too much sleep over the past. . .four days? Her legs slowly moved across the bed and onto the floor, and she slowly pulled herself up, placing her feet into her boots neatly. She stood up, trying to minimize movement from the bed, and slowly pulled on the Premium Heart gloves.  
  
Rufus's back was to her, and maybe if she moved fast enough, she could leave without him. As soon as her gloves were on, she brushed aside the comforter and made a move for the exit.  
  
"Hope you had a nice sleep." Rufus mumbled, his face barely visible from his position in the bed. Tifa flushed, her hand only inches away from the doorknob. //So close, too.// she thought to herself sadly. "I know I did." It was at this moment she took note that Rufus had taken off his black turtleneck and his double coats, each neatly propped on the dresser leaving a white muscle shirt to wear. She flushed again, as she usually did--the only person she was used to seeing with a shirt that would expose the torso was Cloud, and that was because he was hardheaded and would get beaten up by the monsters when he was little. "Your hands seem a lot thinner without your gloves."  
  
". . ." Tifa remained silent, frozen in place in intimidation.  
  
"Lovely night though." Though his words would've had less impact if there was a little skip to them, he said this all in your typical Rufus-type voice--sarcastic, sardonic, monotonous, indifferent, passive, and as Barret put it, "stupid". "Don't feel like staying for another?"  
  
"I'd love to stay and chat, but I'll be going now." Tifa said sarcastically, turning the knob and attempting to make an exit.  
  
"Miss! Did you come in without paying?!" barked the hotel manager harshly, causing her to halt in place again. Her cheeks turned red, as did her ears, and her half-walking pose was kept. "Miss, please answer me!" Though his words were polite, his tone was certainly contemptuous. She winced and turned, hands behind her back and eyes on the floor, toes nudging the floor embarrassedly. She felt like a kid who had been caught doing something wrong.  
  
"Excuse me." Rufus walked in, his coats tied around his waist and his turtleneck on. His white pants were incredibly loose, but not thin enough to bunch around the ankles like the teenagers of the Midgar slums. "She's with me." Tifa began to deny this, but one look from Rufus told her that if she backed out of this opportunity she would obviously not be getting out of this in any simply way. Although she was relieved she was out of trouble, for one thing, she found it rather repulsive of the idea: her and Rufus. Psh. Also, why the hell was Rufus sticking up for *her*?  
  
"O-oh! Mr. Shinra! Well then! I apologize. . .Ms. Shinra!" stuttured the manager, giving salute to honor the "president". Either these people were *not* on the times, or Rufus Shinra had obviously made a name for himself, be it president or something else. . .  
  
"Uh. . ." Tifa began slowly. "It's. . .okay, I guess."   
  
"Lockheart. You forgot this." Rufus carelessly tossed the hair tie to Tifa, where she scrambled to catch it.   
  
". . .Thanks, Rufus. . ." she said slowly, holding it and staring at Rufus with an astonished look, her cheeks slightly flushed.   
  
"Let's go." Rufus pulled one coat off his waist, slung it on, and put the other on top, buttoning both slightly in that peculiar style of his. There was a small, barely audible clack, indicating he had his shotgun. "Dark Nation and that chocobo are in Lower Junon." He stalked out of the door, Tifa following rushedly in a less-then-cool manner. Rufus obviously felt like leading the way today, unlike how he was with following Tifa. Tifa rushed to catch up, then ran after him, clamping one hand on his shoulder. "Damnit Lockheart, that hurts." he retorted, frowning yet continuing to streak across Junon.  
  
"Rufus, wait." she pleaded of the former president, her crimson eyes glimmering slightly. ". . .I'm sorry for trying to ditch you last night."  
  
Rufus mumbled something under his breath, something Tifa couldn't hear.  
  
"What?"  
  
"In case you couldn't hear, I said something to the effect of 'I don't care'."   
  
". . .And thanks. I appreciate it."   
  
". . .Hopefully you won't bitch at me when I continue to follow you."  
  
". . .Fair enough."  
  
We'll fast forward to a few years later  
  
And no one knows except the both of us  
  
And I have honored your request for silence  
  
And you've washed your hands clean of this 


	5. Three's a Crowd

A/N: HOORAH! X.o Hm. . .I dunno, actually. ^_^ I'll probably end up writing a lot of fanfiction in the FF7 section, because I just love FF7 and am an idiot XD thanks, btw, for the compliments! ^____^ YAY! *dances and stuff*   
  
BTW, YES, VINCENT WILL COME IN AT SOME POINT IN DA STORY X.O; uh. also, the Chapter 3 reviews seem to be. broken. o_O I dunno why. DAMN YOU FF.NET  
  
. . .also. . .I was thinking of some Rufus/Tifa. . .and some Vincent/Tifa. . .and then some CLOUD HATES YOU ALL. . .well, okay I made it sound kinda dumb XD also. . .this chappie focuses entirely on Tifa and Rufus and everyone's bestest pal.  
  
Disclaimer: durr. FF7 is in my house, but it doesn't belong to me. . how'd it get there? O_O the song used is the translation of "My Will" by dream...durr, ending theme for Inu Yasha's 1st season  
  
---  
  
Though they had been travelling for perhaps a couple of days together, there were some leadrership issues at hand between Tifa and Rufus--though Tifa would settle for a compromise of sorts, there was always some sort of reason to argue against his methods. Finally, she settled for allowing Rydia to trot alongside Dark Nation, because she felt obligated not to trot ahead or behind in fear that she would seem arrogant, or that she would have issues of her own. There was little to no communication between the two.  
  
They would often move from continent to continent mindlessly, as if it was no problem at all; and that night, they were in Mideel. In order to cross the ocean, Rufus would often climb onto Rydia behind Tifa, and Dark Nation could swim without the ex-president's weight on his back. The town had been reduced to a smoking pit of Lifestream way back when, but they had cleared some of the forests around the area and built more houses, cleaned up the wood, etc. The "lake" had become more or less a tourist attraction.  
  
So, in the thick forest closest to the shore, they camped out for the night, Rydia picking at some Mimett Greens from Tifa's pack and Dark Nation fast asleep. Tifa sat on a log near a small fire that had been created in a tiny clearing, as did Rufus.  
  
They had barely spoken. At all. There were a few arguments which usually led to one-worded conversations, but that quickly began to disperse also. Tifa was bored as hell, and felt as if she couldn't have emotional thoughts around the cold man; Rufus, however, seemed to particularly enjoy the silence, folding his arms as he sat. His light eyes seemed to be fixed in the fire, as if it held some sort of complete meaning to him. *Him*. The only thing fire reminded Tifa was that night at Nibelheim. . .  
  
There was a short rustling in the bushes. However, *he* didn't seem to notice/mind, occasionally letting a thought or two shine through his poker face as he stared unto the embers. Tifa, however, was more alert, and her scarlet eyes flew to the location of the rustle, her fists clenching at her sides. Slowly, she stood, walking gingerly to the source of the noise.  
  
Click.  
  
//Uh?// Opposite clicks were heard simultaneously, prompting the martial artist to swivel around. Incidentally, she was probably in the wrong direction.  
  
A pair of eyes perhaps redder then hers glared into Rufus's, yet both equally cold and lifeless, and both cut dangerously. A shotgun was pointed to a pale forehead. A large rifle, claimed to be the legendary Death Penalty, stood at Rufus's. To put it lightly, if looks could kill, Vincent Valentine and Rufus Shinra would both be lying on the ground bleeding to death. That is, if they didn't pull a trigger first.  
  
"Vin. . .cent?" Tifa stammered slowly at the sight of the vampiric guy. Vincent acknowledged her existence simply by briefly glancing at her, idly, almost as if he didn't care. He then shifted his vicious glare back to Rufus, who returned it with equal hatred; and for a long time, nobody moved, adding to the suspense. If one even made the slightest movement, the other would probably pull the trigger--that movement being a simple twitch of the index figure, it was highly likely both of them would shoot each other. Rufus's white, longer coat fluttered in the wind, as did Vincent's cape in equal dramatics, and the fire luminated each face, the light dancing in their eyes.  
  
"Tifa, go back to them." Vincent said--no, *ordered*--coldly.  
  
"No. . .I don't want to." she said slowly, approaching the two gunslingers and placing her hands on each gun, slowly pushing them down (though it took more force to lower Rufus's gun then it did Vincent's) and attempting to reduce the violence by maybe one bit. ". . .Rufus. . ."  
  
"First name terms?" Vincent interrupted, his glare hardening. Rufus gave a tiny smirk, though a stuck-out tongue was kind of implied.  
  
"One-sided." Tifa added, frowning at Rufus. It was Vincent's turn to smirk--well, okay, Vincent didn't smirk, but he raised a brow, giving Rufus an equally smug look.   
  
"Times change." Rufus added indignantly. If Vincent knew how to laugh, he probably would, but instead, one side of his mouth curled upwards ever so slightly, then dropped rapidly as if to prevent any further connection to this notion called "smiling". Tifa couldn't resist but to raise a brow at Rufus, silently asking "what're you getting at," but, nonetheless, she turned her head to look pleadingly at Vincent.  
  
"Don't tell anyone I'm here, Vincent. They'll follow me." Tifa begged, her eyes boring into Vincent's as if hoping it would unlock some kind of sympathy.  
  
". . .they're worried, Tifa." he replied stonily, his gaze finally moving from Rufus's to Tifa's.  
  
Quietly awakening  
  
I always, always wish  
  
that these fleeting thoughts  
  
would reach you  
  
"They'll understand. . .I'll come back soon, I promise."  
  
At this moment, Rufus rolled his eyes with a slight, sarcastic snort, turning around and walking a little ways away from the two red-eyed members of AVALANCHE, folding his arms and staring at the endless forest before him. He didn't like being ignored, obviously, prompting Tifa to give him a worried glance, but she turned back to Vincent.  
  
"Are you going back to them?" she asked quietly.  
  
"Not anymore."  
  
"Rufus is a nice guy, Vincent," pleaded Tifa, eyes hopeful and begging. "If they know, they'd try and kill him."  
  
". . . .a bad thing *when*?"  
  
"Vincent. . ." She sighed. "Please. . .I'm not kidnapped. I'm not in any danger."  
  
". . ."  
  
Unable to move forward across "just a little more" distance  
  
The way I see before me is always blocked  
  
Every time the days I want to see you but can't pile up  
  
My strong heartbeat turns into heartbreak  
  
"Is that a yes?"   
  
". . . . .I shall stay with you." Although it was kind of lame and corny, it clearly meant "if Rufus screws up I will pound his ass into the ground, but in case he does I'll be watching his every move". Tifa grinned and threw her arms around the pale man, despite the level of intimidation he often gave everyone and everything. Tifa and Yuffie were probably the only ones who weren't afraid to act like a normal person around him; the rest. . .well, it felt ominous to *breathe* around the guy.  
  
"Thank you~!" Tifa exclaimed cheerily, the hug a rather frightening concept for him. She ran to Rufus. "He won't tell everyone. Okay?"  
  
". . .Whatever." Rufus retorted passively, his back to Tifa and expression unseen. He ran a hand through his slick hair, and finally let his arms go limp at his sides. The flutter in his coat had noticeably stopped, apparently reflecting his disapproval; however, Tifa smiled slightly and patted the blonde man on the shoulder a few times, causing his head to tilt more down and left, and she raced back to Vincent, only to realize she didn't really need to tell him anything, so she walked to the log and sat down.   
  
If there is such a thing as "eternity,"  
  
I want to believe, even if I have to take the long way.  
  
Although I know that I've been hurt before because I'm clumsy  
  
I won't stop; I won't give in to anyone  
  
"C'mon you guys. Vincent, I'm not planning to leave behind Rufus anytime soon, so you guys should get better acquainted." she said, watching as Rufus and Vincent sat down, though still sharing a vicious glare, and Tifa pretended not to notice, beaming as she took out some beef jerky out of her backpack, a loaf of bread, and two bottles of water. "Anyone hungry?" She felt a lot better, having more then one friend around, and was in a particularly cheerful mood nonetheless. Vincent reached for the bottle of water, his claws closing around it and retracting quickly, whereas Rufus reached for a small stick of beef jerky.  
  
"Thank you." Vincent murmured in Tifa's direction, twisting open the cap with one hand, and drinking slowly. Even a simple action such as drinking seemed to be a thing to be admired when done by former Turk Vincent Valentine, who managed to do anything and everything with undescribed grace. Yuffie had once commented there wasn't an ounce of fat wasted on the guy; he was extremely well-muscled, and no skin went to waste. "Tifa," he began suddenly, "Cloud is distraught. Please allow me to contact him about your status."  
  
"No." she responded immediatly and without skipping a beat, biting her bottom lip in strong refusal.  
  
I think of you  
  
and that alone is enough  
  
to make the tears start to flow now  
  
I always, always wish  
  
that these fleeting thoughts  
  
would reach you...  
  
A half hour had passed, and it seemed that Vincent was fast asleep. . .or at least, lay on the log totally immobile and staring at the dotted sky. The fire was still up and flickering, and Rufus leaned against a tree, arms folded and frowning in the direction he faced straight ahead. Occasionally, the ex-president would run a hand through his hair, but that was basically the only motion of life between the two totally monotonous men; however, Tifa was rather restless, and would tap her foot impatiently, staring into the fire.  
  
"Lockheart," Rufus began, but there was some kind of snorting sound from Vincent's direction that alerted him to his. . .error, prompting him to start again. "*TIFA*. Do you intend to go back to AVALANCHE?"  
  
"Yes. As soon as I think my trip's over." Tifa answered, boot tapping impatiently and finger tapping her chin. Her head was held in her gloved hand, and she would occasionally stretch.  
  
". . .Why?" he inquired further. Rufus Shinra simply did *not* see what benefits there were in rejoining the terrorist group; he loathed them heavily, and especially Cloud.  
  
"Well, they're my friends, and Cloud's probably worried."  
  
I've known all too well about pretending to be strong.  
  
But since then, my doubts have vanished.  
  
". . . . .Strife isn't worth your time." Rufus spat, expressing his obvious hatred for the spikey-headed ex-SOLDIER, arms folded and eyes rolling rather high. Tifa laughed a little, prompting a glare from the white-coated blonde. Her laughing came to a halt, but she returned his icy gaze with a smile. "To be honest, I think a woman of your calibur is better off with a different crowd." Tifa grinned at him, pushing some hair out of her eyes and blinking.  
  
"Why, was that a compliment, Rufus Shinra?" she giggled, hugging her knees to her chest as she usually did.  
  
"Nothing more then a statement of a fact, Ms. Lockheart." he commented in a monotonous voice, eyes narrowed at the martial artist. "I suggest you do not assume what point I am trying to get across." Tifa continued to beam at him, that //--annoyingly patient--// smile of hers beginning to chip at his defenses. Not emotional barriers, but it was more or less pissing him off!. . .He murmured something incomprehensible under his breath, then ran a hand through his hair.  
  
This triggered the memory of something she once heard-- //No one's ever seen him bleed or cry.//  
  
There's definitely things I want to show you  
  
And so many words I want to hear  
  
I want to see all sides of you, when you laugh and cry  
  
So I'll stop waiting  
  
and seize my "chance." 


	6. A Killer Poker Face

A/N: YES! X.O The DARK...MWAHAHAHA o_O the suspense will be enough to cause permanent mental damage. . .as if I haven't suffered that already XD Warning, This chapter is somewhat uneventful. . .but love it anyway, because it's a PART OF THIS STORY X.O  
  
Disclaimer: durr. no FF7. ;-; Uh. . .yeah. XD  
  
---  
  
//What do I do?// Cloud paced back and forth inside the operations room, hands behind his back and a map of the Planet laid out neatly on the table; his brow furrowed in thought, and he had been like this for about 45 minutes now, prompting worry from those he hadn't managed to piss off by this time. He paused upon remembering that Rufus escaped from the hospital naught but two weeks ago--a little before Tifa's absence. Of course, this was based upon nothing but conjecture. . .  
  
Cloud suddenly banged his fist on the table in frustration, almost smashing off that point of impact on the wood. It was a crappy lead, and as much as he hated to admit it, Reno was right--maybe he *didn't* know what he was doing. However, the mercenary absolutely refused to believe it. . .  
  
Holding a small ray of hope, he turned on the flat-screen television set Cid installed in the wall, and flicked it to the news channel. After watching a small bit on how to breed red Chocobos, the newsman with large glasses and stupid-looking hair suddenly popped up, a stack of papers in hand. Cloud pulled himself onto the table, holding the remote on one hand.  
  
". . .in later news, former president of the Shin-Ra company Rufus Shinra has been spotted at the Five-Star Hotel. The hotel manager described him as a blonde-haired, blue-eyed man about 5'11", and accompanied by a young lady whom he referred to as 'Lockheart'." the reporter droned, a small mini-screen showing the scene in which the Hotel manager accused Tifa of sneaking in without paying. Cloud, in an expression is shock and amazement, fell off his spot in the table to the side, where he bounded off the wall with a dull thud, but he raised his head to continue listening eagerly for a lead. "This 'Lockheart' is supposedly, as stated by the hotel manager, Rufus's wife. Described as around 5'6" to 5'7" with long brown hair and red eyes. The hotel cameras have caught all this on action, and SOLDIER seem to want to locate Rufus as soon as possible. . ."  
  
Cloud gaped at the footage that clicked onto the screen, showing Tifa exit the rooms.  
  
+"Miss! Did you come in without paying?! Miss, please answer me!"   
  
"Excuse me. She's with me."  
  
"O-oh! Mr. Shinra! Well then! I apologize. . .Ms. Shinra!"  
  
"Uh, it's okay, I guess."  
  
"Lockheart. You forgot this."  
  
"Thanks, Rufus."  
  
"Let's go."+  
  
As the footage ended, Cloud, still on the floor, couldn't take his eyes off, even as the tape ended; his stare was dumbfounded, and his head lowered to face the floor, his expression unknown and unseen. Struck by new resolve, he scrambled to his feet and dashed out of the operations room, expression indescribable as he raced corners, often slamming into a wall or two hollering the name of the red-headed Turk. Heads turned to watched the spikey-headed hero, until Reno appeared over a corner and nearly smashed into Cloud.  
  
"Damnit Strife, watch where you're going." Reno commented after almost leaping to the side to avoid a collison. Cloud shrugged, scratching the back of his blonde head with his gloved hand, then regained his composure. "So, is there a particular reason why you seem to find my name exciting today?"  
  
"Cut the crap, Reno." Cloud retorted icily.  
  
"I could say the same to you."  
  
". . .Do you have any idea where Rufus is?" Cloud asked Reno, without a witty reply to Reno's "rubber glue, back to you"-esque comment. Reno's aquamarine eyes shifted up, and his mouth curling down in a thinking type of way that would often suggest there was something other then happy hour in his head.  
  
". . .I dunno. A first-class tracker from SOLDIER said he was heading South."  
  
Cloud promptly sprinted to the front of the ship, racing past Yuffie and almost pushing the green-faced ninja into the mechanical mess of wires below the bridge, causing her to shake her fist and yell profanities at the spikey-headed guy--the cries which he ignored as he stumbled into the front. He skidded to a halt as he approached Cid Highwind and the master pilot handling the steering wheel.  
  
"We're heading South."  
  
Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me  
  
I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed  
  
She was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb  
  
In the shape of an "L" on her forehead  
  
---  
  
"Good morning~!" The voice of Tifa rang out in Rufus's ears, annoyingly encouraged as he shifted in his sleeping position, atop his elongated inner coat. Tifa seemed a lot more buoyant since that ex-Turk joined their little posse last night; a thought that made Rufus shudder, as he figured they would do well on their own. Tifa's face peered over Rufus's, as he moved his arm to shield his eyes from the sun. "C'mon Rufus." She grabbed him by the arm and forced him into a sitting-up position.  
  
"Lockheart. . ." he mumbled spitefully, placing his left arm on the ground and rubbing his eyes with the other. He pushed off the outer coat which had been used as a makeshift blanket. . .wait, he didn't take off his coat. ". . .Did you touch my coat?" he asked incredulously, examining it as if it had lime-green stripes.  
  
"You and Vincent both fell asleep with all your clothes on. You guys looked pretty uncomfortable, so I helped out." she stated simply, as if there was no problem. Indeed, Rufus glanced at Vincent, who looked equally disheveled at the lack of cape and gloves, and rolled his eyes, prompting Tifa to roll hers and state, "You're so ungrateful." Rufus's eyes shifted to the side in some form of "apology," causing Tifa to smile at him again and stand up. He stood up as well, tying his turtleneck around his waist and leaving his coats on the ground.  
  
Rufus was kind of disturbed at the fact that Tifa had become so nice to him over the past week or so, seeing as how they were once enemies; Tifa had said, maybe two days ago, that it was because she "never got to know him".   
  
What the hell was so different about him now then he was back then?  
  
Well the years start coming and they don't stop coming  
  
Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running  
  
Didn't make sense not to live for fun  
  
Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb  
  
"Are we going to be on the move again?" Rufus inquired, tilting his head in Tifa's direction.  
  
"Well, now that Vincent's here"--this prompting a wince--"I figured we could stay for a bit." she replied, apparently fixing up some sort of mini-kitchen as she pulled out of her pack things that didn't look like they'd fit--packets of little things, empty bottles, some bags of potato chips, beef jerky, small tupperware containers of salad and other things. Vincent grabbed a pack of potato chips.  
  
". . .With *him*?" Rufus retorted.  
  
Vincent crushed the bag in his hand, causing it to pop and the chips to fly into the fire violently; Tifa looked in the direction only to see Vincent toss the empty bag over his shoulder, and Rufus disregarded it completely. Tifa nodded at Rufus, who rolled his eyes in a "I can't believe this bull" manner and running a hand through his hair--something he only did when he was feeling. .ah, particularly sardonic. Tifa placed her hands behind her back and tilted forward, her eyes shifting up to eye Rufus.  
  
"It's not that bad, Rufus. Vincent is a good guy." Tifa commented, Vincent folding his arms and observing from a distance, almost *smugly*, like "I'm staying and you can't make me move". . .and to that extent, it kinda pissed Rufus off, prompting the former president to give the former Turk a rather rude gesture that involved the lifting of the middle finger.  
  
"Bitch."   
  
"Rufus!"  
  
"Sorry." The apology's tone was less then remorseful, in a I-can't-help-it tone as he exchanged immoral glances with Vincent that changed every few seconds, making Tifa grateful that she wasn't staring at Vincent right about now. Then again, the extent of Vincent's emotions were raising an eyebrow, or two, or smirking, but it never ceased to make Rufus retaliate in a less professional behavior. Tifa sighed, pressing one hand to her forehead and slumping over.  
  
"Hopeless. Really. Hopeless." Cue the tiny blue lines that appear under the eyes of Anime characters revealing stress as Rufus and Vincent exchanged vulgar insults and glares. (Interesting to note: Vincent tended to use larger, more sophisticated words in this, such as "imbecile" and "ignoramus," whereas Rufus was like, "bitch" "asshole" "$&@&".)  
  
So much to do so much to see  
  
So what's wrong with taking the back streets  
  
You'll never know if you don't go  
  
You'll never shine if you don't glow  
  
"Assclown."  
  
"Vandal."  
  
"Bitch."  
  
"Featherbrain."  
  
"Stupid."  
  
"Simpleton."  
  
"Ass. . .fart."  
  
"Nitwit."  
  
"Turd eater."  
  
"Meathead."  
  
"Motherfu--"  
  
"Are you two quite *done*?!" Tifa screeched, spinning around with a vein pulsating in her forehead. She proceeded to kick the hell out of the two ex-Shin-Ra employees until both of them were lying face-down on the ground breathing heavily. The martial artist had had enough of this. . .erm, idiocy, and to put it quite plainly, Tifa Lockheart was pissed to the extreme.  
  
"Ribs. . .broken. . .lungs. . .crushed. . ." Rufus coughed. "Spleen. . .unaccounted for."  
  
"If you see any teeth lying around. . .they're mine." Vincent hacked, expression unseen as he remained face-down in the mud.   
  
Tifa rolled her eyes, placing her hand on her waist. After cooling her wits, she murmured a quick incantation of a Regen spell, cracking her knuckles and looking rather triumphant as Vincent and Rufus slowly gathered together what remained of their insides and stood up, wobbly.  
  
"Regen? Why not Cure 3?" Rufus asked meekly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.  
  
"Because if you heal slower then it'll be longer 'till the next time you start bitching."  
  
"Strategic." Vincent commented, rubbing his temple with his thumb and index finger.  
  
"Very much so."  
  
Hey now you're an All Star get your game on, go play  
  
Hey now you're a Rock Star get the show on get paid  
  
And all that glitters is gold  
  
Only shooting stars break the mold  
  
"I feel refreshed now~!" Tifa stretched her arms out above her head, then punching and kicking an invisible opponent in front of her to exemplify the adrenaline coursing through her body.   
  
"You mean beating the shit out of me and the vampire rejuvenates?" Rufus asked incredulously, running a hand through his hair as he suffered from. . . discomfiture.  
  
"The vampire and *I*." Vincent corrected.  
  
Though Vincent Valentine rarely showed emotion or anything such whatsoever, he seemed to particularly enjoy pissing off Rufus. And it worked well, too; Vincent had a killer Poker face, and hardly ever showed signs of being provoked. And anyone with an arrogant 'tude like Rufus Shinra would get perfectly infuriated with this lack of effect. . .  
  
"Don't start, Vincent."  
  
". . ."  
  
It's a cool place and they say it gets colder  
  
You're bundled up now but wait 'til you get older  
  
But the meteor men beg to differ  
  
Judging by the hole in the satellite picture  
  
"Well, we better get going." Tifa retorted, back to her gentle self and boarding Rydia. Vincent moved to his own shiny golden Chocobo, Auron, whereas Rufus walked with a blah expression to Dark Nation. "I was thinking we move West, toward Wutai. . ." She patted Rydia a few times, then adjusted her hair ribbon as it began trotting slowly in said direction. "Oh yeah. . .If you guys enjoy having all your teeth in your mouth, I ask you not to argue too much on the way."  
  
"In other words, don't piss me off and everything will be flowers and sunshine."  
  
". . ."  
  
"Rufus, don't start."  
  
The ice we skate is getting pretty thin  
  
The waters getting warm so you might as well swim  
  
My world's on fire how about yours  
  
That's the way I like it and I never get bored  
  
Hey now you're an All Star get your game on, go play  
  
Hey now you're a Rock Star get the show on get paid  
  
And all that glitters is gold  
  
Only shooting stars break the mold 


	7. Maybe Empty Inside

A/N: Woo...LOOK! NO MORE SPACES BETWEEN THE DOTS! YOU ALL ARE SPARED! O___o; Uh...This is *not* the closing chapter, even though it does seem like it's ending what the story was mainly about. It takes a rather large turn at this point ^_^;  
  
Disclaimer: .........Yeah o_o;  
  
---  
  
Vincent stood on the vast beaches of the western continent, allowing the saltine breeze to rake his smooth, ebon hair. The man never washed it. It just stayed prim and proper on its own, a quality that he secretly found disturbing, whereas all else found it helpful. Yuffie had once dunked a bucket of water on its head, then lifted the pail to see it barely seemed soak.  
  
Why?  
  
He flinched awkwardly, a very uncharacteristic movement from Mister Valentine. Basically, seeing him do anything of the sort was like seeing a cat not land on its feet: strange, unprecedented...but there he was. At least he was alone for the moment. He raised his hand, the hand that wasn't a metal claw, the one that probably send his mind reeling so many times. It flickered, scales slowly taking shape on them, like a cut from a knife that sealed and opened again, the blood of course equal to this. As the distorted skin took shape and enveloped his arm, claws formed from his nails.  
  
//Control.//  
  
-Are you sure you have it?-  
  
how can you see into my eyes like open doors  
  
leading you down into my core  
  
where I've become so numb without a soul my spirit sleeping somewhere cold   
  
until you find it there and lead it back home  
  
A hot, white flash seemed to blink before his eyes, then reformed to perhaps nothing but black. Was he sure there was even a floor under him? But there must've been: Hellmasker, Galian Beast, Death Gigas...and *him*. Cool, calm, and collected, Vincent stared at all of them, like a person who did nor fear a death sentence. The sentence being carried out by four in front...  
  
-Heheheh...he's going to loseit--loseit--loseit!!!!!!!-  
  
-Not much can be done......for him...now.-  
  
//Don't talk to me like that.//  
  
The claws and monsterous features faded from view, retracting into the red cape. as he pulled it over his body, clipping it to a tiny crease in his robotic arm. The image of that hidden place, some dusty corner stored in his mind never bothering to be cleaned, however, remained before his eyes, yet every inch of his clothing had become as easy to read as a child's book.  
  
//I will not lose control.// he thought firmly, almost viciously, fist clenching at his side creating a small metal clink. Almost as if hearing some sinister notion of "why not" in his head, or behind him, or in every direction simply resonating to his ears... //She is waiting for me.//  
  
-Three of them...You promised the Shinobi...-  
  
//So?//  
  
-You hold yourself guilty enough.-  
  
//And miss Lockheart...//  
  
-Like a crap you can't flush.-  
  
(Wake me up)  
  
Wake me up inside  
  
(I can't wake up)  
  
Wake me up inside  
  
(Save me)  
  
call my name and save me from the dark  
  
(Wake me up)  
  
bid my blood to run  
  
(I can't wake up)  
  
before I come undone  
  
(Save me)  
  
save me from the nothing I've become  
  
Almost robotically, Vincent raised the hand he had hidden in his cape, which now, as if it had always been there, held the Death Penalty, and holding it at a distance towards his temple. A slight smile curved his features, rare and almost demonic, insanely...was it really his own, or was it theirs? Who would he really be happy by doing this?  
  
//I could see her again...//  
  
-Go ahead.-  
  
Almost as if a hiding sheet had been taken off, scars suddenly made themselves known on Vincent's arm, glowing with the energy similar to what you would see in the eye of a SOLDIER. As if they were hidden by some inward force. Or maybe because they were grotesque: burned into his skin, not a scab, not a wound, but they still had the smell of flesh, and that terrible red color. The taste of flesh too...wait, how would he know? He bit his tongue slightly with his teeth, sniffing a certain demon.  
  
//Chaos...//  
  
It was *disgusting* to know what they would do when and if he lost control.  
  
His index finger tightened on the trigger.  
  
now that I know what I'm without  
  
you can't just leave me  
  
breathe into me and make me real  
  
bring me to life  
  
"Valentine." A voice rang through his ears, the voice of Rufus Shinra, as he walked up over the horizon. "Tifa's worried." He retreated as quickly as he came, but not before glimpsing the Death Penalty Vincent had rushedly dropped to his side in fear of being caught. What the hell was that guy's problem? Rufus rolled his empty eyes as he made his way back to the short canyons where Tifa had set up a small "mini-camp".  
  
-You know his problem.-  
  
//What the hell?// Rufus scratched his head in a confused gesture, something he rarely did. Ever. In fact, probably the first time. He halted in mid-step.  
  
-Remember?-  
  
+"Haha, he's twitching!"  
  
"That's kinda wierd, mister Hojo..."  
  
"Nonsense, kid."  
  
"...I guess you're right...hey, what was that? That was kinda cool."  
  
"Heheheh..."  
  
"Heh..."  
  
"Hahahaha!"+  
  
-You were raised as a sick bastard, Rufus Shinra.-  
  
//Not to my knowledge.// he replied thoughtfully, folding his arms.  
  
(Wake me up)  
  
Wake me up inside  
  
(I can't wake up)  
  
Wake me up inside  
  
(Save me)  
  
call my name and save me from the dark  
  
(Wake me up)  
  
bid my blood to run  
  
(I can't wake up)  
  
before I come undone  
  
(Save me)  
  
save me from the nothing I've become  
  
-Poor, naive little Rufus. Born under a rich family. With a silver spoon in your mouth...Too bad that spoon was dirty as hell.-  
  
Rufus shook his head vigorously, his blonde hair slightly messed up from travelling. His arms lowered to his sides dully, only to have one raise to his face. //...// He rubbed his temple, and shook his head again as if testing his sanity. The voice was heard no more. Letting out a short sigh of relief, he began walking at a faster pace, a little worried, a little disturbed. //Just get back to camp...// He halted before the fire and his gaze shifted to Tifa, who was sitting down in a sort of stretch.  
  
"You seem a little hurried." she commented, stretching her arms to her splayed left leg with ease.  
  
"..."  
  
"Is Vincent coming?"  
  
"...Yes."  
  
At that moment, Vincent walked leisurely to the camp area.  
  
"I apologize for worrying you."  
  
"No biggy." Tifa responded simply, placing her hands on the ground. Her legs were in a split, but her strong arms lifted the rest of her body up as she pushed up and down, like a morning exercise routine. Rufus's eyes shifted up and down her legs, but he rolled his eyes again, turning around and folding his arms crudely. "Your PHS rang. I didn't answer it, but everyone's moving South. Probably to Mideel." She grinned. "Good thing we left, huh?" Her legs bent...rather abnormally, as if she was double jointed in every other limb...over her, and she lowered them into a standing position.   
  
Vincent looked her in the eye, a gaze she didn't return. Vincent always looked in peoples' eyes. It seemed to interest him for some reason, as if he could read a life story behind them. But around this time, he was curious. A year and a couple of weeks...that would mean...  
  
Vincent's PHS rang again.  
  
"..."  
  
"VINCENT, YOU *@*)%$*!" a loud voice lined with rougness, possibly signs of lung cancer, yelled through the phone. "You #*(@. Do you know what day it is?"  
  
"...November twen--....shit."  
  
"The brat's pissed as hell."  
  
"...I'm in a predicament right now, Cid."  
  
"Well get the @&(# out of it, because she's pissed to the point of breaking down on everyone. #&@*ing hell." Click.  
  
"...Ohmigosh!! Today's her birthday!" Tifa suddenly came to this realization, her eyes almost popping out of her head. "Oh crap oh crap oh crap. Vincent, you really should go. Crap crap crap crap double crap."  
  
"..."  
  
"Yes, leave." Rufus encouraged, one hand on his waist and smirking. "You ought to."  
  
Vincent fought the urge to maul Rufus with the Death Penalty. He turned around, balancing this. If he left, Yuffie would be happier, giving Vincent his good deed for the day. But Rufus...well, he just didn't *trust* Rufus, you know? Whereas if he stayed, he would get absolute HELL from Yuffie. He would never hear the end of it...He sighed.  
  
"You better leave. Now." he commented, clicking a few buttons on the PHS.  
  
Without a word, Tifa grabbed Rufus by the wrist and leapt off the cliff face, skidding almost like a snowboard off the nearly completely vertical side. Rufus yelled profanities, tilting backwards slightly as he was dragged along by the martial artist, reminding himself to reprimand her *later*. The Highwind zoomed in that direction, lowering a rope on which Vincent shimmied, and a large banner reading "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" hung over the side. The word "brat" was visible, though crossed out, and replaced by "Yuffie". Tifa fought the urge to climb up there and greet them herself.  
  
-Why *aren't* you going back?-  
  
//I can't face him again.//  
  
frozen inside without your touch without your love darling only you are the life among the dead  
  
Vincent gave her a look, still hanging on the rope as if asking her to come. Tifa bit her lip, indecisive, stuck in thought, backing away to meet Vincent's gaze. //Oh damn, damn...// She had been out for a week, maybe two, *tops*. The cliff face seemed to move out of her way, and all she could see was the Highwind...  
  
Cloud Strife poked his head over the edge, watching Vincent climb up.  
  
Then his eyes met Tifa's.  
  
They also met Rufus's.  
  
And, our brainless spikey-headed hero leapt suicidally off the end of the ship, and landed neatly on the cliff above, skidding down towards Tifa and Rufus. Cloud's expression was indescribable: a pleading look to Tifa, a hurt look as well, a vicious glare at Rufus. Rufus moved in front of Tifa.  
  
"Get the hell out of my way, Rufus."  
  
"Make me."  
  
"I could."  
  
"Cloud..." Tifa trailed off.  
  
"Get in the Highwind, Tifa."  
  
"....No...."  
  
"*Get in the Highwind, Tifa.*"  
  
"Goddamnit, Strife, what part of 'n-o' do you not understand?"  
  
Cloud slipped the Ultima Weapon out of his back, the Mako glare in his eyes hardening and glaring at Rufus, just wishing looks could kill with all his mind and soul. He advanced towards Rufus Shinra threateningly, the tip of the Ultima Weapon glimmering in the sun and into his eyes adding to the threatening stare, as if Tifa wasn't there, ignoring the begging look in Tifa's eyes as she silently pleaded for him not to come any further. Rufus only stared back fearlessly...  
  
And Cloud charged viciously, holding the weapon out in front of him in an attempt to *impale* the Shin-Ra ex-president, ignoring the cries, cheers, or whatever from his teammates back from the Highwind, pretending Vincent's calls to halt weren't there, and ignoring Tifa. Which I might add, was a bad idea.  
  
all this time I can't believe I couldn't see  
  
kept in the dark but you were there in front of me  
  
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems  
  
got to open my eyes to everything  
  
without a thought without a voice without a soul  
  
don't let me die here  
  
there must be something more  
  
bring me to life  
  
Tifa maneuvered in front of Rufus, holding her arms at her sides...and before Cloud could stop himself, the Ultima Weapon had been firmly shoved in Tifa's torso.  
  
(Wake me up)  
  
Wake me up inside  
  
(I can't wake up)  
  
Wake me up inside  
  
(Save me)  
  
call my name and save me from the dark  
  
(Wake me up)  
  
bid my blood to run  
  
(I can't wake up)  
  
before I come undone  
  
(Save me)  
  
save me from the nothing I've become  
  
"OHMIGOD!!!" -Yuffie  
  
"HOLY FUCKIN' SHIT!" -Cid  
  
"FUCKING HELL!" -Barret  
  
"Tifa..." -Vincent  
  
"TIFA!" -Red XIII and Reeve  
  
"Sweet mother of God..." -Reno  
  
"*gasp*" -Elena  
  
"*stunned silence*" -Rude  
  
Cloud's eyes widened as he slowly pulled the sword out, hurling it behind him with a look indescribable. His glimmering blue Mako eyes...the shine was gone, the color from his face drained, and he sank to his knees, shaking with something...something...nothing existed anymore, as Vincent leapt off the rope and to the scene of the crime, kneeling down to examine Tifa's status.  
  
"WHAT THE FUCKING HELL WERE YOU DOING?!" Rufus writhed in his spot, his arms locked behind him by Vincent (who had mysteriously moved behind Rufus...wow), twisting with rage and anguish. He moved and tugged, but Vincent held him back firmly, though his boots skidded slightly, and suddenly he let out a horrible, twisted scream-type yell, the most horrible thing you could hear from a hurting man. Hurting in *what* definition, of course--  
  
-Just like what Sephiroth did to Aeris, huh?-  
  
//.......//  
  
(Bring me to life)  
  
I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside   
  
(Bring me to life) 


	8. Lack of Understanding

A/N: Yes, what a turn of events o_o DON'T HATE ME *is pelted with tomatos and other vegetables* But, in all honesty, I actually want this to be just a *little* more then a regular Romance fic. There's dancing...and singing...well, not really, but that would indicate the second half of the summary. +_+ evil FF.net had to die. also, the review system hates me. KILL IT  
  
Disclaimer: ......STUFF!...including the song "no Reply" from "Future Blues" OST.  
  
---  
  
"Where's Spikes?" Cid emerged into the hall, extremely uneasy and rather fidgety. Sweat lined his forehead, and there were dark creases under his eyes from lack of sleep; particularly, less then vulgar, or rude then usual today.  
  
"...On the upper deck." Instead of her usual position, standing and heaving near the bridge, Yuffie, who had, perhaps yesterday, was celebrating her 17th birthday, was sitting down, pale and preoccupied with worry. Now it seemed all the joys of becoming older had been sucked, and if Yuffie hadn't grown attached to the older sister figure that was Tifa, she would've accused the comatose girl of having stolen her thunder.  
  
"..." Cid, however, did not seek out their "leader," who had not said anything, not come down, etc. etc. The Ultima Weapon was roped against the very front of the ship, stained with blood, prompting no wonder as to why it was there. Cloud had put it there. "Goddamnit..." As he crossed the wire bridge, he banged his gun-arm on the wall, creating a slight dent.  
  
"..." Yuffie plopped backwards, lying down on the hard metal of the ship and ignoring the pain that jolted through her head as she landed with a dull thunk.  
  
"What about Shinra?" No swearing, no nothing, an example of just how much stress he restrained due to Tifa's status.  
  
"...Operations room." Yuffie's misty eyes gazed at the ceiling, as if there was Materia plastered to the metal sheets. She couldn't think, she didn't *want* to think. She had become rather robotic over the past couple of days. As did everyone *else*. "...depending on what context."  
  
"Blondie."  
  
"...Operations room." she confirmed, pointing in a direction diagonal to her head. Her arm retreated to her side slowly, heavily. "...with Tifa." There was a bedlike structure carefully constructed on top of the main table in order to house the severely wounded Tifa. Rufus was there, for some reason difficult to comprehend. //Maybe he likes her~// Yuffie would've giggled at that moment, but it was just too much, you know?  
  
"Ah." There wasn't much to speak about right now, so Cid walked in that funny fashion to the room and pulled open the sliding door, just a little, enough so Rufus wouldn't notice. "...holy shit..."  
  
Like the perfect ending  
  
It won't be long  
  
Till everything I've ruined has seen me gone  
  
In time, I pray you'll forgive me  
  
Now you know the man I am  
  
Can you forgive me?  
  
Rufus sat at one of the chairs, clutching Tifa's left hand with his own two and staring at some distant point on the opposite wall. His blonde hair was unkempt, and there were lines and black circles running under and over his empty blue eyes. //That kid...// At that point, Cid felt pity: pity for the man who had broken his dreams once. //Goddamn, just watching that guy resemble something like human gives me the heebie-jeebies.// At that moment, a pang in his chest reminded him of Shera. He thunked himself on the head to snap back to reality.  
  
I fall  
  
Like the sands of time  
  
Like some broken rhyme  
  
At feet no longer there  
  
"Kinda wierd, huh?" Yuffie's voice, weighted with hardship, filled Cid's ears rather quietly as he "spied".  
  
"#^*@ yeah." Cid scratched the back of his head thoughtfully. "The guy's too #@^*ing out of character, man. Giving me the chills..." Cid looked back towards the door. "No one's ever seen him bleed or cry. That was the rumor, ya know?"  
  
"You think he cried?" Yuffie questioned, pulling herself into a sitting position. "Uh, I know I did."  
  
"Hell, I dunno. Haven't seen Spikes or blondie move one freakin' inch." Cid shrugged. "I dunno what the hell was going on, either." He sighed, taking the cigarette out of his mouth and exhaling deeply, a puff of smoke dancing in front of his face. "Only one who probably knows is Vince, though. Won't talk to anyone, though. Damn..."  
  
"Wanna ask?" Yuffie suddenly suggested, something a little bold.  
  
"Ask that guy? Hell, he creeps me out too. Always looks like he's glarin' at me." The pilot shuddered involuntarily.  
  
"C'mon, don't be such a wuss." Yuffie slowly stood up, legs trembling perhaps from not standing in a 24-hour period, and marched to the front deck. "Well? You comin'?" the tomboy asked, cracking her knuckles and grinning emptily. Cid rolled his eyes, smacking his forehead with his palm.  
  
"Do I have much of a choice?" He followed Yuffie onto the front of the airship, scratching his head as he did so. Yuffie pranced over to Vincent Valentine with as much cheer and exuberance as possible. Cid walked to one side and pretended he didn't exist, concentrating on the conversation they were about to hold.  
  
"Heeey Vinnie!" Yuffie came to a screeching halt in front of the reserved man, toeing the ground like a shy child. "Uhm...So, what's up? Uh, I was meaning to ask...you were with them, weren't you?" Her tone became a little less childish and more serious and interrogative. Vincent's icy, flaming red gaze turned to bore into Yuffie's misty grayish-violet. She barely flinched. She just wasn't the kind to be forced down by a glare. Realizing this, he gave a curt nod to respond to her question. Assuming a reporter-ish pose, placing one hand under her chin resembling a microphone. "Can you tell us about mister Shinra and miss Lockheart?"  
  
If only I could call the rain to melt and wash away the pain you feel  
  
I would  
  
You gave yourself to me and showed me what the truth could be  
  
For that, I say thank you  
  
This was my life  
  
It never made much sense to me  
  
"...I can..."  
  
"Oh, very well then. WILL you?"  
  
"........only what I know...."  
  
"Hoorah!" Yuffie danced around, doing a short disco before returning to her station. "Now...what's wrong with the spikey-headed one? Is he ill? Hypertension? Athersclorosis? Or...HEARTACHE?!" It was atonishing to see her crack jokes at a time like this. But that's the way she was. Focusing on the task at hand.  
  
"Stationary on the upper deck...lying down..."  
  
"What did you note about mister Shinra and miss Lockheart?"  
  
"..." Vincent raised an eyebrow at Yuffie, who grinned in response--a cheerful gesture, though not reaching her eyes. "I do not...allow myself to delve in the relationships of others, physical or emotional."  
  
With every lie that I lived  
  
Part of me would fade  
  
Into this empty shadow I've become  
  
And now I feel so numb  
  
I no longer know myself  
  
But I still know you  
  
"Lovely."  
  
"I'm sure."  
  
Yuffie rolled her eyes and tousled Vincent's hair, having to leap up to do so due to her...lack of height in comparison. Vincent grabbed the retreating arm with his claw, and threw a rather condescending/all-out *nasty* look towards her. Yuffie's wrist went limp, and her gaze moved to the ground embarrassedly. Vincent sighed inwardly and dropped her arm, giving her a quick-as-possible, one-armed hug. Yuffie grinned, and Cid rolled his eyes, throwing the cigarette overboard and lighting a new one. I don't think he cared if he set something on fire, either.  
  
---  
  
Rufus sat, empty, thoughtless, gripping Tifa's hand desperately. He was still. Not even shaking. He hardly blinked. He felt a lack of oxygen from breathing through his nose, but it didn't matter. He didn't really feel like moving. Tifa had bandages wrapped around her stomach, like wraps on a cast, only it was cloth. It was unfair.  
  
I call  
  
And there is no reply  
  
Like some phantom cry  
  
On ears too far away  
  
-Unfair? Trying to suck out life energy from the Planet is also unfair.-  
  
//Go away...//  
  
What the hell was this voice?  
  
-...Tifa's dreaming, you know.-  
  
//.....don't...care.//  
  
-You just keep thinking that. Unfortunately, I know more about you then you think.-  
  
//And you aren't a creepy little voice in my head; a result of my slow departure to the rainbow-and-sunshine world of insanity?//  
  
-Touche. I also know that you're some kind of wiseass. I suppose that's just a result.-  
  
//..//  
  
-She's still dreaming.-  
  
//I don't care.//  
  
-If you didn't care, you wouldn't be here.-  
  
//Low blow.//  
  
-So, don't you wanna take a look?-  
  
//...you're going to show me? Isn't that "invasion of privacy"?//  
  
-I can see almost every single one of you. Except for that dog, the ninja, and a few others. But they don't matter much to me, either.-  
  
//How so?//  
  
-That doesn't matter. Anyway, she's still dreaming.-  
  
//You apparently think this holds some relevance to me, don't you.//  
  
In the first motion he had made, besides blinking...occasionally...he ran a hand through his tousled hair, attempting to return it to its neat and proper status. It didn't work.  
  
-So go take a shower or something.-  
  
//Why?//  
  
-Why not?-  
  
//...//  
  
---  
  
And Cloud, sitting there so silently, stared at the Planet underneath the ship, lips pressed into a thin line and head hanging over the edge. Okay, so the blood was going to his head. He didn't really care. His neck was beginning to hurt. But he didn't care. Shouldn't he be in the Operations Room, at Tifa's side? Waiting for her to recover? Actually giving a damn? No. He gave a damn. He wouldn't be contemplating the meaning of life if he didn't. But nonetheless, why wasn't *he* down there? Tifa...She was there. When he was lost.   
  
I close my eyes and watch as my life passes by  
  
The only thing I see is you  
  
For all the times you walked the line for me and standing by my side  
  
I say thank you  
  
Here lies my life  
  
It never felt real to me  
  
She was there for so damn long a time. For him. Did he take her for granted? His thoughts shifted to when she actually moved in front of Rufus, in order to protect him. Why protect him? He banged his fist on the railing, even though he probably stretched some muscle abnormally in that motion.  
  
You'll always mean so much to me  
  
And there's no reply  
  
And there's no reply  
  
You'll never know how much you meant to me  
  
What if she *liked* Rufus? Cloud couldn't handle that. He just couldn't.  
  
-Why not?-  
  
Because they had been through so much together. Her and Cloud, anyway. Saving each other...the promise...what the hell was it all for when he might've killed her? He let his arms hang off the side of the ship, staring at the whizzing world beneath him.   
  
If only I could call the rain to melt and wash away the pain you feel  
  
I would  
  
You gave yourself to me and showed me what the truth could be  
  
For that, I say thank you  
  
This was my life  
  
It never made much sense to me  
  
"Hello." Red XIII made his way to the upper deck, a seemingly difficult task due to his lack of coordination on steep staircases. His tail raised into the air, being careful not to set anything aflame, and he trotted to Cloud and sat down next to his somber, grave figure. The wolf-doggish fighter gave the "leader" of AVALANCHE a crooked look. "How are you?"  
  
".......swell...." came the response. Red XIII took note that half his body was off the front, being supported by his strength, though. Any further, and he was going to fall.   
  
"...Mind scooting back so you don't fall to a horrible death?" Red XIII inquired half-jokingly, because, well, he was worried. If he was contemplative of suicide, then...well, it would be pretty horrible, then. However, Cloud obliged by pushing back, head still hanging over and staring at the grass and things below. Red XIII just sat there, next to the spikey-headed one, allowing his mane to be pushed back by the wind. The fire on his tail had wavered slightly with Tifa's dormant status, a little small, a little broken. But Red XIII himself was alright. Maybe. "Cloud, are you alright?" he inquired with a wise, all-knowing tone as he gave Cloud a piercing stare. Cloud's head slowly turned, and it was kind of creepy, as the rest of his body remained still. The mercenary eyed the wolfish figure, any glare, any glimmer in his eyes vanishing leaving a dull sort of look.  
  
".....how's Tifa?....."  
  
I close my eyes and watch as my life passes by  
  
The only thing I see is you  
  
For all the times you walked the line for me and standing by my side  
  
I say thank you  
  
Here lies my life  
  
It never felt real to me  
  
"...She's lost quite a bit of blood. I don't believe any major organs were damaged, however, and she is currently...comatose." There was a small pause, and a little choke upon the last two words, exemplifying Red XIII's concern for his comrade. "........I have also noted that Rufus has hardly left her--"  
  
Glare. Vicious. Glimmering with hate.  
  
"...Never mind."  
  
It began to rain.  
  
You in my life  
  
It all meant so much more to be  
  
---  
  
Durr. seems everyone's hearing a voice. ARE THEY GOING BONKERS?! O_O Or...there's...something *else*! Dun dun duuun. 


	9. Just Live Through

A/N: WHEE! UPDATE....uh, the reviews for chapters 7 and 3 are broken...this sucks, I can't see whether people killed me for putting Tifa in a coma-ish state O_O oh man. sorry. But anyway, Seraphim-Angel, you can use the song XD you dun need my permission, but it's cool you asked.   
  
This is another filler chapter, just a little! ^_^ But then, next chapter, I'm sure I'll have the plot moving. Yes, it MOVES!  
  
Disclaimer: NUU  
  
---  
  
"Is there any, like, *real* point to us staying here?" Elena questioned, leaning against the hard metal in the corner near the chocobo room, biting her nails and fixing her chocolate gaze on the floor. She was tired. Tired of those AVALANCHE jerks, always looking down on a Turk, even if goody Reeve stuck up for them. She was grateful. Just a little.  
  
"We're stayin' till Strife tells us to leave." Reno nonchalantly stuck one hand in the air, clutching a cigarette between his middle and ring finger and exhaling deeply.   
  
"Since when did we listen to *him* and not president Reeve?"  
  
"Since now." came the calm reply, sounding as if Cloud was their boss and not Reeve. This was a startling turn of events. Reno and Cloud, for the week or two in which they paired together Turk and Terrorist alike, had had *serious* leadership issues. Reno even asked to pilot the Highwind: something, notably, each organization replied with a firm "hell no". Knowing this, Elena was quite...wary...of this turn of events.  
  
Nonchalant, cool, passive; were these the defining traits of a Turk? Elena scratched the back of her head, her gaze shifted to the ceiling in thought. She bit her lip slightly. Elena, don't do that, you're a Turk!--Elena, you talk too much--Elena don't this, Elena that, Elena don't ask questions... Of course, she was hired. She moved up from desk accountant, etc. etc. Intellegence-gathering abilities: remarkable. Yet she often felt responsible for the image of the Turks, and how one slip-up from *her* would screw it all up. Her.   
  
Reno and Rude don't screw up. Tseng didn't screw up. It almost made her feel like a failure.  
  
Another day is going by  
  
I'm thinking about you all the time  
  
But you're out there  
  
And I'm here waiting  
  
She hugged her knees, moving her eyes down to the floor and resting them so they closed a little. The rhythm of her breathing became steady, inhaling as little cigarette smoke from Reno as she could. She sat in the very corner, with Reno and Rude at each side, calm, nonchalant, probably not thinking about stuff like this.  
  
She sank her head onto her knees, staring at the floor. The Turks had no real buisness. There was no real threat. So there was no real job.  
  
Suddenly, she felt Rude's hand on her bent shoulder, and she looked up and smiled gratefully at the older Turk, stretching her legs out in front of her in the same fashion as he. Rude nodded reassuringly--okay, so it was a common misconception a monotonous face could not be reassuring. But Rude was a brotherly sort of figure. Well, Reno was too. The annoying brother type who would look through your underwear drawer and wear your...undergarments...on his head.  
  
The underwear part wasn't just analogy, either.  
  
Elena absentmindedly leaned her head on Rude's shoulder, staring straight ahead, ignoring the ninja and the pilot walking back down the hall talking mindlessly. Rude stroked her hair gently, his gaze still icy, yet his touch warm.  
  
//Tseng...are you alright?...// Like family that had lost its father. Tseng was like the driving force. What were they doing here, now?  
  
And I wrote this letter in my head  
  
'Cuz so many thing were left unsaid  
  
But now you're gone  
  
And I can't think straight  
  
"Cute; a Kodak moment." Reno's voice interrupted the little sweet moment, creating a small frame with the thumb and index fingers of each hand and viewing Elena and Rude with a smirk. He was in a sort of crouch, having moved from his wall position to in front of the two, feet and legs bent. "And here, we have Rude and Elena in--"  
  
*KICK*  
  
"CHEAP SHOT!" Reno fell backwards, hands dropping to the point where Elena's foot had made impact with his groin area and wailing miserably. "DAMN HARPY WOMAN!" Elena folded her arms and stuck her tongue out at the red-haired man, who writhed on the floor muttering swears. Rude chuckled a little, his arm staying firmly on Elena's shoulder and his eyes glinting just a little behind his shades.  
  
"Nyah!"  
  
Reno was nonchalant, cool, and passive.  
  
Except when it came to things like fighting with the uber-cheap Elena.  
  
Of course, they recieved stares from Cid and Yuffie of AVALANCHE, who had stopped their conversation to throw a quick glance at the Turks: the three, who didn't get much space, who didn't recieve much acceptance, who had one little corner to themselves...and found something close to happiness, just like that.  
  
Only family can do that, you know.  
  
---  
  
"Wierd." mumbled Yuffie, shaking her head at the laughing blonde, the smirking bald, and the wailing redhead, turning back to Cid in half-disregard. Cid's throat made a small growling-type noise due to the tar that had formed on his lungs. Bah. He would probably be able to quit before lung cancer hit.   
  
Red XIII leapt down the stairs, not even bothering to climb normally due to his...disorientation...on two legged things.  
  
"Hey, Nanaki," greeted Yuffie airily, kneeling down and petting the wolfish creature. Red XIII tossed her a sarcastic look, but Yuffie was one of the first to adjust to calling him "Nanaki" or "'naki," and he was a little grateful for that--if not for his frustration in being treated like a regular house pet. "Didja bring news from the spikey-headed one?" she asked cheerily, bending to one knee to meet his eye level. She grinned.  
  
"...He's doing, basically, well. And I mean that in extremely general terms."   
  
"Uh?"  
  
"...At the very least, he has yet to commit suicide."  
  
This could be the one last chance   
  
To make you understand  
  
"Pleasant." Yuffie commented sarcastically, standing to full height and pressing her palm to her semi-pale forehead.  
  
"Indeed." agreed Red XIII. "And Rufus?"  
  
"Like a !&($ing rock." Cid said, puffing out a ring of smoke and rolling his eyes. "Still, dull, and gray." The pilot had always thought analogy like that was stupid, but in that case he would have to make an exception for the son of the original Shinra--it was just creeping him out. Cid noticed Barret make his way inside the cabin, doing a sort of salutish-wave thing customary of a pilot.   
  
"Yo, it's almost midnight. Y'all better get yer asses to bed." Barret said, shaking his fist like he usually did when handing out..."orders".   
  
"Shut up, old man. We're discussing very important things!" Yuffie spun around to face Barret, making a face at him by crossing her eyes and sticking out her tongue arrogantly, then jumping backwards a little and away from Red XIII and Cid. "So...BACK OFF!"  
  
"Don't push it, brat!"  
  
"Nyah nyah!"  
  
"Shut the @^*@ up you guys." Cid interrupted. "Get to bed, damnit. Tifa might be up in the morning."  
  
As they scattered to various comfortable sleeping positions--IE a corner, or perhaps some place on the floor, Cloud quietly walked down the metal stairs, his boots making small sounds as he did so. Clank, clank. Night had fallen, and most of the lights had been shut off leaving little but a few glowing orbs and darkness. He walked towards the Operations room and allowed the automatic door to slide open with a small noise, and, without throwing so much as a glance at Rufus, walked to Tifa's opposite bedside.  
  
I'd do anything  
  
Just to hold you in my arms  
  
To try to make you laugh  
  
Somehow I can't put you in the past  
  
I'd do anything   
  
Just to fall asleep with you  
  
Will you remember me?  
  
'Cuz I know  
  
I won't forget you  
  
However, not long after focusing on Tifa's sleeping state did icy gaze meet, glaring at the other with bottled hatred. But no. Tifa wouldn't've wanted that. But was that really why Rufus didn't just blow Cloud's brains out right there? Cloud stared at the bandaged wound on Tifa's stomach, her flat and well-built abdomen wrapped in cloth bandage, blood stains peering through the white.  
  
He placed folded his arms on the table, resting his head in his arms and staring at her horizontal form. And, as if forgetting Rufus was sitting there, he allowed a couple of tears to quietly trickle down his face, his eyes still staring albeit shimmering slightly with agony.  
  
"Tifa...I..." he whispered quietly to her sleeping form, his face stony but the tears very real. She was a driving force in his life. Sheh elped him find his real past. She supported him. She even supported his love for Aeris.  
  
Together we broke all the rules  
  
Dreaming of dropping out of school  
  
And leave this place   
  
To never come back  
  
"Strife. Get a hold of yourself." Rufus's voice suddenly filled his ears, and Cloud raised his head, but not before moving his face on his arms to destroy all hints of the crying. Cloud bit his lip. What was this guy's *problem*? "Watching you cry like a defeated animal wouldn't be the warmest welcome for Lockheart."  
  
"How do you know if she'll wake up?" Cloud asked bitterly, surprised at his own words thereafter. It almost sounded like he didn't *want* her to wake up. "...forget it." he added, as if not wanting Rufus to get the wrong idea.  
  
"That would be a blow to *your* conscience, not mine."  
  
"You have a conscience?"  
  
"I wouldn't be pissing my silk boxers in this seat for the past 24 hours if I didn't."  
  
Cold, yes. Sarcastic, yes. But it did hold some kind of point.  
  
"What if she dies?" Cloud asked, more or less to *himself*, his misty stare running up and down her comatose form.  
  
"I'm not worried."  
  
"Why not?!" Cloud's attention was piqued in a negative way, a vein pulsating in his forehead as he shot up to glare at Rufus. He felt his own fist clench at his side, shaking tensely.  
  
"She's strong. She'll live through it. I know her."  
  
So now maybe after all these years  
  
If you miss me have no fear  
  
I'll be here  
  
I'll be waiting  
  
Cloud ignored the fact that Rufus probably *didn't* know her. "Are you saying Aeris wasn't strong?"  
  
"So that's how she died, huh?"  
  
"...It was Sephiroth."  
  
"I heard of the Ancient's demise through Reno... Not my problem, however."  
  
"And what makes this your problem?"  
  
"She stepped in front of *me*, remember?"  
  
"..."  
  
"To stop your spikey ass from turning me into a human shishkabob. Looks like your plan worked. On the wrong person." If it weren't for the tone, it could've been considered *seething*, as his face clearly read something to enraged, his brows furrowed and twitching.  
  
"If you were *dead*, then none of this would've happened. None."   
  
"Well, it seems everyone thinks I kicked the bucket last year. Apparently I'm still well." Rufus replied, smoothing his hair back, though it was rather greasy...and kinda smelly. "Of course, artificial lungs are always wonderful things." he said sarcastically, his arms still calmly placed on the chairarms and his face returning to a calm, passive status.  
  
---  
  
//Hello?//  
  
In the dark...in the middle of nowhere...unable to see her hand in front of her face, Tifa sat on her knees, uneasily twiddling her thumbs. She wasn't even sure she was on the ground. She had no voice here. She didn't really feel the need to talk. But there she was. The bandages were still firmly wrapped around her abdomen, as far as she could tell, and this place seemed a little familiar.  
  
//I remember this place.  
  
//This is the place I was...before I helped Cloud find...himself?...//  
  
She remembered now, and she pulled her legs in front of her, plopping into a lying-down position. Her crimson eyes examined the darkness, and when she blinked, it didn't feel much better. Not at all. She remembered...  
  
-Why did you go in front of him?-  
  
//Hmm? Because he's my friend.// Tifa answered. This was certainly *those* voices, the voices that accused her of many things and compelled her to find the real... Cloud. Of course, she could never identify it. It was like thinking, only the thought weren't yours.  
  
-Cloud's your friend too?-  
  
//Of course he is!// she replied adamantly.  
  
-So why didn't you let him kill the other one?-  
  
This could be the one last chance to make you understand  
  
And I just can't let you leave me once again  
  
//Because Rufus is my friend too!//  
  
-As of when?-  
  
//...Since a few weeks ago.//  
  
-You seem to make friends easily.-  
  
//I guess so.//  
  
-It wasn't like that, 7..no, 8 years ago.-  
  
I close my eyes   
  
And all I see is you  
  
I close my eyes  
  
I try to sleep  
  
I can't forget you  
  
Nanana (....)  
  
And I'd do anything for you  
  
//Guess not...where're you getting at?//  
  
-Wake up!-  
  
---  
  
"Nn..?" One eye opened extremely slowly, the red sparkle from heavy sleep showing and examining her surroundings. The operations room. And the sound of gunshots and a sword clanging loudly, ringing on opposite sides of the room. Maybe she was dreaming. She raised her left arm to cover her face from the light, grumbling some more and tilting her head to the side.  
  
A bullet just barely missed where her arm just moved.  
  
Tifa let out a small yell and popped up, clutching the blanket in front of her with two fingers and eyes as round as dishes. The gunfire and attacking immediatly ceased, and she heard a shotgun and a sword clatter to the ground in utter astonishment. As she popped up, she felt her wound jab at her again, prompting a small sound and her to fall back onto the bed, clutching the place where the sword struck with one hand.  
  
"Oww..." she complained, sitting up again. She blinked as she heard two people rush to her sides talking about random, incomprehensible things at the same time.  
  
"Strife suddenly just picked up that damn sword and--"  
  
"And then Rufus held up his shotgun and it was--"  
  
"Owww..." she audibly complained, obviously making herself heard over the chatter of two blonde men who immediatly rushed closer and began asking choruses of "are you okay" "do you need anything" with the exception being Rufus ("can I kill Strife please?"). She smiled weakly and shifted into a sitting position, placing her feet on the floor and limping towards the exit. But not before Vincent came in. She grinned at him too, only to lose her balance, trip, and nearly fall.  
  
That is, until she was helped up by 3 people at once. As they made efforts to support her, she felt a little...how you say...overwhelmed. As she was lifted towards the exit, she slumped her head, sweatdropping. //They've lost their marbles, I swear.// At least Vincent was the only one not mindlessly chattering in her ear. Well, Rufus had ceased too. So it was just Cloud then.  
  
Gasps of amazement rang about the cabin as the crew of AVALANCHE and Turk crowded around the now-awake Tifa, grinning and talking and welcoming her and just being all-out happy.  
  
"Look everyone, it's good to be back, but...I need...oxygen..." she said, smiling nervously as she was hoisted away from the crowd by Rufus, Cloud, and Vincent. Of course, the crowd followed. It was kind of funny-looking, too, as Cloud, Rufus, and Vincent scuttled away from the crowd only to be pursued mercilessly.  
  
//Good to be back.//  
  
I'd do anything  
  
To fall asleep with you  
  
I'd do anything  
  
There's nothing I won't do  
  
I'd do anything  
  
To fall asleep with you  
  
I'd do anything  
  
'Cuz I know   
  
I won't forget you 


	10. A Little Heart Left

A/N: XD thanks everyone! WHEE! ^__^ *Sniff* Someday, Seraphim-Angel, I'm going to write reviews longer then 3 words that are as awesome as yours. XD Hoorah! And no! THE VOICE WILL PLAY A CRUCIAL PART IN A MORE ACTION-PACKED PART OF THIS STORY! Action-packed... mwahaha  
  
Sniff. The reviews, they're so beautiful.. You guys are the best XD After this hcapter, updates will come fast, like they used to ^_^ oh yeah...there's something very peculiar here...IT SHOWS YOU THAT ZE PLOT THICKENZ  
  
Disclaimer: ...*Eats FF7* *Is sued* *also eats the song, Kodoku no Shigunaru from Lain*  
  
---  
  
Yuffie poked her head out of the Operations room, her short hair clinging to her thin face and looking around as if afraid of being caught. Letting out a sigh of relief, she awkwardly walked out, pretending everything was fine and nothing was wrong. But what *would* be wrong? She walked over to Elena, who sat in a solitary corner. Right. Reno and Rude were speaking to Reeve or something. //Perfect!// She grinned widely, the Conformer strapped to her back.   
  
"Hi Elena." chirped Yuffie as she bowed to meet the female Turk's eye level, grinning widely. "How're you?" A large sweatdrop formed on the back of her head in that cartoonish way, but Elena didn't notice.  
  
"Hi." the Turk responded dispassionately, smiling a little--just a little. Yuffie grinned wider, and it was really starting to freak Elena out, but that wasn't what she was shooting for... So she toned it down a little. //Okay Yuffie, you can do this. Keep it together! AHAHAHA--// She cut out the insane laughter in her head, narrowing her eyes inwardly. "What do you want?" Normally, Elena wouldn't've responded in such a...helpful disposition. Maybe it was an order or something.  
  
"Uhm... Kinda, yeah! Follow me to the Operations room?" Yuffie inquired, clasping her hands together at her chest and doing the *most* innocent look she could muster. Of course, there wasn't much to say about that. Yuffie could hardly pull something like that off. "Uh... It's not anything *too* wierd! Really! Pleaaasseee?"   
  
"Uh...Sure." Elena placed one hand on the ground and stood up, dusting off her navy-blue uniform suit and placing her hands in her pockets.  
  
"THANK YOU!" Yuffie trotted, lifting her knees high into the air and walking into the Operations room. There were a few cabins in the Highwind, but she decided this was a more adequate place to ask.. For a favor. As Elena followed Yuffie in, she noticed Tifa sitting as well, looking equally puzzled as to why her presence was requested. Tifa, for once, was wearing something over the white top-- a gray jacket, the kind people wear that have hoods and drawstrings and everything. "Now! I've come to ask you, as the only females upon this ship--" Yuffie began, walking to the front of the room and keeping her head lowered. Her tone became rather grim, or maybe uneasy. "......."  
  
"What is it, Yuffie?" Tifa implored, arms on the table and watching Yuffie sulk in front. "Is something wrong...?"  
  
".....(mumble mumble...makeover)..." Yuffie's head sank low as Elena and Tifa's eyes practically bugged out of their head.  
  
Not yet knowing  
  
what it means to love,  
  
I try to connect somewhere  
  
with someone, anyone.  
  
On aimless nights, you  
  
keep sending out a signal of loneliness.  
  
"Kisaragi, are you really feeling okay?!?!" Elena asked, half-standing in her chair with an incredulous tone. Her chocolate eyes were almost popping out of her head in alarm.  
  
"Uh... Wow... Yuffie... Well... Uh... Wow." Tifa continued to stammer out her status of being BLOWN AWAY by this request.  
  
"Stop it! C'mon! Get a grip!" Yuffie spun around, flailing her arms out in defense, then folding them and sticking out her tongue. Elena continued to stare, wide-eyed, whereas Tifa just.. Stared. Seeing that they needed an explanation before this could continue, she began, "Look! Barret called me a brute a couple of days ago and that pissed me off! So I'm gonna show that old man, and are you gonna help me or not?!" Bold and brash as always, Yuffie shook the fist with the cloth armor at the wall, smirking confidently though it was evident she was anxious about this decision.  
  
"Uh... Of course we'll help you, Yuffie!..." Tifa retorted, scratching the back of her head and grinning. The grin seemed anxious, and kind of freaked out, but it was a grin nonetheless. (It was a difficult decision for Tifa, as she hadn't the slightest clue about makeup. She knew a little about hair, though.) "Right...Elena?"  
  
"....Yeah!....We'll...Help you!" Elena forced the words out of her mouth. Now, Yuffie smirked confidently, flashing a peace sign to the other girls.  
  
"Awesome! Heheh..." Yuffie turned around, deviously rubbing her hands together. "Meet me here... Tonight! Yeah! I'll show him...nyuk nyuk..."  
  
Elena and Tifa sweatdropped and scuttled out of the room.  
  
"Wow." Tifa stammered again, standing next to Elena after the metal door to the Operations room closed with a loud clank, then the kind of sound you'd expect from a bulldozer. Yuffie was *never* the kind to wear makeup, or do her hair, or anything of the sort. She was the person who would scramble up a tree and make faces, do the "honk the horn" thing with hand and armpit, or flush hairbrushes down the toilet. If asked if she wanted to, say, watch people do their nails and comment on matters such as boys, she would shake her head and reply she had buisness egging a house. "Uh...wow."  
  
"...Should we?" Elena asked, hands still in the extremely loose pockets of the navy blue pants. Her eyes were rather confused, but she had somehow created a resolute appearance for herself among the times she became a Turk, and having to ward off almighty pervert Reno did wonders for one's mental and physical strength.  
  
"I...don't see...why not...since she asked and everything..." Tifa said slowly, as if she was trying to register it through her mind.  
  
However, they stayed there, shocked and quite shaken, for a little while longer.  
  
---  
  
Reno took a corner of the Highwind, opening and closing his lighter and staring at it as if it was the most important thing in the world, the clicking resonating through the cabin annoyingly and the little flame fading in and out. Obviously, Reno, new commanding officer of the Turks (though he once persuaded Elena to call him "Supreme Leader of All Time," something which did *not* bode well later on), was...bored. He sat almost complete still, one fist on his knee supporting his head as he leaned against the cool metal wall.  
  
*click, snap... click, snap... click, snap*  
  
"Yo man, cut that out before I @#%& bust you open!" Barret threatened as he was passing through, shaking his gun-arm at the redheaded Turk violently. However, Reno's aquamarine gaze simply settled upon him, still clicking and snapping, and completely still if not for his glaring. Barret stood there, glaring back as much as he could, but he continued nonetheless. So he walked away.  
  
"@$**@! Who the @^*@ is being a @&(ing wiseass on my #^@!ing ship?!" Cid ran out of the main deck, his back arched as he stepped on the aluminum bridge. He watched Reno continue this cycle for a bit, caught in the...action...of watching Reno boredly flick his lighter on and off, until Cid pressed his hand to his face and walked off, muttering swears under his breath.  
  
*click, snap..click, snap..click, snap*  
  
"...." Vincent walked outside to see the source of the noise, but quickly retreated to...wherever he was.  
  
*click snap click snap click snap*  
  
"Cut it out, Reno." Cloud suddenly appeared, poking his spikey head through the door and seething at his...erm, rival. He then disappeared after a moments' notice that he would *not* cut it out, rolling his eyes as he did so.   
  
*clicksnapclicksnapclicksnap*  
  
As his lighter sound-effects became increasingly faster, his reflexes aiding in the process of trying to maintain lightning speed and plenty of noise without burning his shirt sleeve off, more people would poke their heads out, tell him to quit to no avail, and continue with their daily lives. Ignoring the noise as much as they could, though Cid threatened to make him a human shishkabob with his Venus Gospel. A threat which worked for about 3 and a half seconds, and as soon as Cid vanished from sight the noise, which had so suddenly died down, increased.  
  
Yuffie, Elena, and Tifa, who had begun conversing Yuffie's...turn of events...in the corner directly across, seemed to have a dandy time ignoring the clicking and snapping. Well, okay, just one. Meanwhile, Yuffie and Elena were throwing extremely nasty looks in his direction.  
  
"Reno, I swear to God, I will take that lighter and shove it up your--"  
  
"Reno, quit it. Really."  
  
"Excuse moi and gomen-nasai. What brings two such lovely young ladies to tell me to shove this lighter up my ass?" Reno uttered in the sweetest tone possible. Elena pressed her hand to her forehead, muttering vulgarities under her breath, but Yuffie took the direct approach: stomping over to him and attempting to snatch up the lighter. Reno tugged it back with ease, though she continued trying to get it, as if it were a game of tug-of-war, until she accidently flicked the switch, setting Reno's hand on fire shortly and leaving a short burn.  
  
Not yet knowing  
  
what it means to be hurt and such,  
  
I try to be connected by something  
  
to someone, anyone  
  
In the wandering night, you  
  
keep waiting; a signal of loneliness.  
  
"Oops. You okay?" Yuffie asked, sweatdropping and scratching the back of her head nervously. Reno, however, stared at the burn on his palm, a concentrating look on his face. His palm began to twitch. "Woah, you okay? I don't wanna get blamed for nothin'..." She knelt down, trying to get a look.  
  
Her eye twitched as she felt a hand creep up her leg and onto--  
  
"PERVERT!" Yuffie half-screamed/yelled/screeched. She took out the Conformer, prompting Reno to scramble to his feet and run for his frickin' life, dashing across the room followed by a swearing Yuffie with a very pointy and very painful Conformer. "I'LL KILL YOU!!!"  
  
"C'mon babe, lighten up--" Reno leaped over random hurdles, briskly prancing away from the angry Shinobi but chuckling slightly to himself. "You should be complimented!" he called over his shoulder, his bright red rat's tail flying in the air.  
  
Ah I wonder why are you out there searching for something?  
  
Ah I wonder why are you out there afraid of something?  
  
Ah I wonder what kind of future you'll have?  
  
"DON'T CALL ME BABE!" Yuffie screamed at him, running harder and faster. Reno sweatdropped, side of lip twitching in terror of the angry ninja girl though slightly gleeful as he dodged and maneuvered about the ship. Okay, sure, it was uncalled for, but slightly unbeknownst to AVALANCHE members, Reno had a little personality outside his job. He watched the Conformer slice the air across from him and sweatdropped.  
  
And there was much doom.  
  
---  
  
As Reno skipped through the room, Yuffie finally gave up chasing him. The lanky redhead was just a tad speedier then she, which she found highly disappointing--to be beaten by the *pervert*, the *idiot*, in terms of speed...She was a thief! That was just way too bizarre! She shook her head and reached into the Conformer's Materia slots and promptly hurled a Destruct materia at Reno.  
  
*PING*  
  
//Dead-on!// Yuffie pumped her fist in the air. Woo! It hit--square in the back of his head, it bounded off, and he let out a loud "Damnit, ow". She pressed one thumb to her nose and wiggled her fingers, sticking out her tongue and making a rather wierd-looking face.   
  
"Nya-ha! That's what you get, dorkus!" Yuffie insulted him from a distance, stomping back to Tifa and Elena, but making sure to make plenty of rude noises and faces behind his back. Reno rubbed the back of his head, a small dent in his hair, like a bump in a.. Red car. "Mwahahaha. Do not mess with the master, Turkey."   
  
"Nice. Very nice." Elena commented, stifling laughter as Reno swore loudly under his breath. She patted Yuffie on the shoulder, doubling over in laughter as Reno picked up the Destruct and examined it as if he thought it was poisonous. Yuffie did a short victory dance, spinning around on one foot with a large grin. She had always thought her victory dance was *more* then awesome, and in turn never listened to Cid when he laughed at her telling her she looked like a 4-year-old. Elena clapped as she danced.  
  
"Thanks, Turkey of higher regard then carrot-top!" Yuffie jeered, pumping her fist into the air enthusiastically. Reno plopped down on the metal floor, breathing out a sigh of relief and clutching the Destruct materia in his palm. He craned his head to look at the trio of girls.  
  
"I guess I'll just keep this as a memento of our time together, then?" he asked innocently, that arrogant/annoying smirk pulling up the side of his mouth once more.  
  
I want to find the one I love.  
  
I want to find the one I'm supposed to love.  
  
I want to find her.  
  
Anyone is OK. Quick... Anytime...  
  
"Woah! I didn't mean that! Gimmie!" Yuffie dived for the lime-green orb, and the chase continued!  
  
Elena leaned on Tifa for support, only to accidently lift her hand and fall over in a fit of laughter. The blonde girl writhed there, tears falling down her face, only to not notice the dirty looks Reno kept tossing her as he scrambled just out of Yuffie's reach. But Tifa's amusement was lost now as she saw Rufus Shinra, blonde and almighty ex-president walk two or three steps down the stairs leading to the upper deck and giving her a meaningful look. Thus, Elena and Yuffie (who could now be considered very good friends) didn't notice Tifa nervously walk up the steps.  
  
---  
  
"Hi Rufus." she greeted cheerily, folding her arms behind her head as she walked near the rail of the upper deck, but behind her hair--allowing the dark brown locks to be pushed apart by the wind. Rufus folded his arms and tilted his head low and to the left, focusing his eyes on the metal floor. "What'd you call me for? Do you need anything?" With quite a bit of patience, and no response, her scarlet eyes shifted to the side, maybe a little worried. She shrugged and placed her arms at her sides.  
  
"Hnn..." Rufus made a small sound in his throat as if to indicate he still wanted her to stand there, so she stood in place against the strong gusts of wind. He seemed to be in deep thought...Tifa was just too patient. "I suppose the best way to begin should be: are you alright?"   
  
Someday, when I've realized  
  
what is precious,  
  
will I, who am noone in particular,  
  
be able to meet someone?  
  
In the tomorrow which is still unseen, you  
  
beat out a signal of loneliness.  
  
"Rufus Shin-Ra, the tearless man is concerned for moi?" Tifa wheeled around in mock-sarcasm, clasping her hands together at her chest and bowing a little, smiling warmly as if mocking him. Rufus's arms dropped to his sides and he craned his head to the left, eyes appearing slightly annoyed. She sighed and stood up, retaining her grin. "But since you asked...yes, I'm quite alright."   
  
"What about Strife?" he asked tentatively. There was something in his voice, something untouchable... Tifa shrugged. "You're not angry at him?" His voice was more or less buisnesslike.  
  
"Not really, no... I mean... It was wrong of him to attack you like that, but he feels really sorry."  
  
"Apologetic to you or me?" he responded waspishly. Rufus Shinra was pissed.  
  
"Uh..."  
  
Ah I wonder why are you out there searching for something?  
  
Ah I wonder why are you out there afraid of something?  
  
Ah I wonder what kind of future we'll have?  
  
Rufus suddenly stalked over to Tifa, very close, VERY close, staring down at her coldly, his eyes bright and glaring with something... a glint resembling Mako. And it was like that for two or three moments, him standing in what some would consider a majestic manner--others, quite intimidating. Tifa stared up at him, curious and quite confused--as was felt correct, for he looked like he would've yelled at her right there.   
  
"I was lightly concerned." Rufus turned around slightly, not making his face seen or hints of emotion heard. In-character, actually, for him. "Though I suppose it would've been a worthy sacrifice." Was this supposed to be a compliment? It was a really crappy one. Rufus spoke arrogantly, as if his life was actually *more* important. Letting her attitude get the better of her, Tifa stamped one foot on the floor.  
  
"Where do you get off saying your life is any better then mine, MISTER Shinra?" she exclaimed. This was unbelievable! "I risked my life out there so you could go on with your goddamn life! Because I thought you FINALLY considered me an equal!"  
  
"..."  
  
"Well?!" It was amazing how Tifa felt so cheerful and friendly toward him, and was on the verge of punching the crap out of him the next. Rufus blanched slightly, yet it was not visible as his back was turned towards her.   
  
".......I was at your side, you know." Rufus said slowly, his tone dropping the negativity slowly but surely.  
  
I want to find the one I love.  
  
I want to find the one I'm supposed to love.  
  
I want to find her.  
  
Anyone is OK. Quick... Anytime...  
  
"What difference does it make if you treat me like dirt the next day?" Tifa inquired, though her voice was actually more quizzical then mad--Tifa Lockheart, never wanted to lose friends. Wait. Was he a friend? Anyways... There was no response from the tall blonde man, no hint of remorse or woe, no nothing. Then again, she couldn't see his face, and they stood like that for even longer then they had spent staring at each other. And slowly, as the silence passed on, Tifa grew concerned. As typical. She blamed herself for being a little weak... Oh well. She tapped him on the shoulder. "Rufus?"   
  
There was a slight twitch at his side, and he slowly turned to face her. He looked...disheveled, more then he was in the time that had passed. His eyes were twitching, the corner of his mouth was dragging down slightly, almost in a sad type of frown. Twitch. Twitch. Tifa allowed her anger to melt, once again being reduced to her gentle self, and grabbed hold of one of Rufus's arms, yet her hand creeped up to his shoulder. And they just...Stared at each other. (A/N: I know, SO eventful..)  
  
Tifa allowed her other hand to wrap around his middle, and she held him to her, hugging the man whose eyes, though his mouth or eyebrows may have indicated sadness, never let tears fall. They stayed the same, like he didn't know how to use them or something. Although the embrace was not returned, Tifa rested her head on his chest, staring at the side.  
  
In the soft embrace, quite a beautiful and unusual thing to look at, no one saw Cloud watch, sitting at the edge of the entrance.  
  
And he looked broken...  
  
I want to find the one I love.  
  
I want to find the one I'm supposed to love.  
  
I want to find her.  
  
Anyone is OK. Quick... Anytime... 


	11. Under Pressure

A/N: Fwah! Laggy computers and wanting fast chapters does not go hand in hand ;_; I keep saying the people will be all, y'know, plot-moving, but they're not off the Highwind XD Uh... I'm sure you all can cope... Right? o_O I'll think of something. Eventually XD  
  
no song here.. *Sniff*   
  
Disclaimer: And there was the FF7, and it ate Daisaku in a frenzy of doomyness...with bacon!  
  
---  
  
Vincent stood ominously at the lower half of the front deck, his cape flowing gently with the breeze as was his dark hair. Of course, he was void of emotion and disallowed thought for now, simply allowing the gentle caress of the wind be something to focus on--of course, if you're in a coffin for a couple of decades, you adjust to not allowing your mind to wander. He folded his arms, standing as stiff as a board without much movement--you couldn't tell he was breathing unless you stuck a finger under his nose.  
  
In the far corners of his mind, however, he was slightly focused on the strange things going on between Cloud, Rufus, and Tifa. What was going on? Vincent had assumed Cloud knew Rufus Shinra, but he didn't know to what depths ran their rivalry. Then again, albeit the lengths he had joined he was never around for the beginning.  
  
Though he wasn't stupid. He could tell there was some kind of rivalry or mutual disagreement. It wasn't that difficult, however, and he mentally cursed himself for not being able to read deeper into this...erm, situation.  
  
His blood-coloured eyes opened and shifted to Cloud slowly walking to the front--sluggishly, and a bit slumped over as if something heavy was dropped over his head. He raised one brow, the remainder of his expression unchanged, and quite still, so his piqued curiosity was barely noticed. In an attempt to make his expression mildly unnoticed, he tilted his head downward and allowed his black hair and headband to create shadows on his face.  
  
This really wasn't necessary, as hardly anyone saw anything besides his stoic attitude, but... well, he didn't see it essential for anyone to know much of anything.  
  
The crew and friends of AVALANCHE turned their heads to see their leader limp to the front, curious, watching him lean over the front with downcast eyes and a depressed expression--and, quite frankly, they were wondering what the hell dropped his happy stature after Tifa's awakening to that of a suicidal man.  
  
"Yo, man! The hell's wrong wit' you?" Barret questioned, shaking his gun-arm in that way he usually did and stepping forward a little. "Chin up! Tifa's back!" Unfortunately, Barret had no idea of the extent of what had happened, looking crestfallen as Cloud looked up at him for a split-second shaking his head. "......." Watching Cloud lean over the side, resting his head in his arms, Barret sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Damn..."   
  
Deciding now was an apt time to stride away without anyone taking too much notice, Vincent swiftly turned and walked out of the front deck, the wind dying down as the door closed behind him. He idly glanced around, looking for things--things that would, perhaps, point to the source of Cloud's depression.   
  
There wasn't much to take note of here. The girls were nowhere in sight but hushed conversation was heard in the Operations room, thus he assumed they were there. Rude and Reno were in deep, one-sided discussion in their usual corner. The rest were at the front deck.  
  
He stood still for a moment, trying to assume a good reason for Cloud to be depressed. After he had come to the conclusion it had something to do with Tifa, he bolted to the Operations room. However, he sighed inwardly--maybe he shouldn't interfere, or delve too far into his behavior. Then again, Vincent felt he owed something: to Tifa, who didn't involuntarily shudder whenever she stood near him.   
  
The metal door slid open to simply show Elena setting out nail polish bottles and other things in a neat row across the table, adjacent to Yuffie who was sorting through them.  
  
"Hey Vinnie." Yuffie greeted without looking up, picking up a bottle of what resembled a metallic pink and examining it thoroughly, including the ingredients list. "'Sup?" Elena looked up at Vincent and sweatdropped, giving him an intimidated smile. For the sake of having to account for another sin, he ignored it. "Tifa ain't here, if that's what you're thinking." She put the bottle down and looked up, grinning cheesily at Vincent. "I dunno. The only other place is the upper deck or something."  
  
Vincent bowed slightly in a formal sort of thank-you, and strode out of the room, not seeing Reno tiptoe past him into the open door and scrambling in, ducking underneath chairs.  
  
---  
  
"This sucks, Elena. They smell!" Yuffie complained, dropping a bottle and slumping forward. "And this stuff is way too sticky...and this is used for hair?!"   
  
"You're the one who wanted a makeover! Hurry up and pick!" Elena commented, resting her chin in the table and looking up, her blonde hair falling over her face.  
  
"Oh man...I don't know how you live..." She picked up the metaly-pink polish. "Do your worst." She sat up straight, frowning and slamming her hands flat on the table, splaying her fingers and taking a deep breath. Elena sweatdropped, unscrewing the cap, but shrugged and proceeded to dab on some of the polish. "AAHHHH! IT BURNS!" she yelled as the cold polish touched her nails. "DEAR GOD, I THINK MY SOUL IS BEING SUCKED AWAY!"  
  
"Ah, quit ya' bitchin'!" Elena commanded, retracting the hand with the brush and frowning. "You're the one who wanted to do this!" Yuffie shuddered as Elena furrowed a brow in concentration, sticking her tongue out slightly simply to help her focus. "There! It's done!" Elena quickly shoved the cap onto the bottle, rolling her eyes slightly as Yuffie's eyes bugged out of her head.  
  
"It's cold..."  
  
"I suggest you don't handle your...pointy thingies. You might ruin the polish!"  
  
"Oh boy, that would be a real tragedy." Yuffie rolled her misty eyes, shaking her hands as if it would help the drying process. Elena rolled hers in turn, skimming through the little groups of makeup and things on the table--collected on a trip to Junon's shopping mall, no doubt--and picking some things out. "Jeez, I never thought I'd see those in my life."   
  
"I figured lipstick--"  
  
A small unheard chortle from Reno...  
  
"--was a bit much, so I just got the gloss. It's light, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. It'll look good on you." Elena insisted.  
  
"Jeez, you know a lot about this stuff, 'Lena. You're so girly."  
  
"Some people used to live normal lives, Kisaragi," Elena sang, rummaging through the stacks. "Until this whole Sephiroth deal, I wasn't a Turk."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Put this on!" Elena rolled a tube of gloss over to the Shinobi, surveying the remainder of the selection and placing random things in a tiny group. Yuffie just stared at it as if it was a foreign object, but Elena payed no heed as she continued adding to the seperate pile of girlish things.   
  
"I don't know how."   
  
"Now's a good time to learn!"  
  
Yuffie tentatively unscrewed the elongated plastic cap of the tube, pulling out the brush and sniffing it suspiciously. She looked disapprovingly at the glitter specks and things, tilting her head slightly.  
  
"Gawd..."  
  
---  
  
Vincent stalked up the metal stairs, his steps heavy but still soundless. Why was he worried, anyway? He had personally reminded himself a while back he didn't delve into personal affairs such as this...but still, something bothered him. As he pushed through the sliding door that lead to the upper deck, he took note of the scene. Refusing to be stunned, or surprised, he settled for folding his arms and waiting to be noticed. After a moment or two, it struck him--they couldn't *see* him from his position in the doorway. And then he had settled on a conclusion as to why Cloud was in an unfavourable mood.  
  
He cleared his throat semi-loudly, his face monotonous and empty. Tifa's arms, earlier wrapped around Rufus's middle in a caring manner that had so long before become foreign to Vincent, dropped to her sides, and she edged off to view the entrance where Vincent stood. Her face was lightly tinged pink, whereas Rufus...well, he averted his gaze, turning his head to the side.  
  
"...Excuse me......" murmured Vincent, his entire stature stiff. "......Cloud implies that he is requesting your presence...." And although he seemed rather stoic, he gave Tifa a meaningful look--well, okay, not as meaningful as what normal people would consider, but as long as you don't feel intimidated by his presence his emotions from outside seemed easy to read.  
  
"Really?" For a moment, she didn't get the message. "Wh--oh...Oh!" Tifa clasped her hands to her mouth, suddenly stepping away from Rufus almost regretfully. "I-I'm sorry." She smiled weakly at Rufus, but her face returned to a mortified state as she stumbled off the upper deck, running into the Highwind at top speed.  
  
Vincent looked at Rufus. Albeit when they met earlier, when he was with Tifa, he had reproached the former president, but now looking at him...well, he looked kind of...strange, to say the least.  
  
Kind of abandoned in a sense.  
  
Vincent shook his head, turning and walking away from the upper deck monotonously, taking precautions so that his cape wouldn't get caught in the sliding door. As he stood in the walkway, he shook his head again--why was he getting involved?  
  
-It's not a sin to be curious, you know.-  
  
Without another thought, he walked testily to the door leading to the front deck, but halted at the control panel, his metal finger stopping a little ways away from the keypad. Contemplating his actions, he closed his eyes for a moment, ominously hovering near the entrance; but he sighed, wondering what he was getting himself into, and tapping the buttons to stride gallantly into the front deck.  
  
Where, expectantly, Cloud was bitching at Tifa. Vincent sighed inwardly, making an extravagant leap for his usual station on the deck.  
  
"He's RUFUS! He fucking tried to kill me! And why the f--"  
  
"Cloud, I--" Tifa protested, frowning slightly yet flinching for the most part. It was rather difficult to accept the fact that Cloud was this pissed, and Tifa stood, listening to him rant about Rufus and doomy things. Her eyes and head were cast downwards, and albeit Cid and Barret were shouting at Cloud to "shut the @&#$ up, damnit" and Reeve and Red XIII were pleading for him to calm down--did he listen? Not quite. Vincent cocked an eyebrow.  
  
*SMACK*  
  
Tifa retracted her palm, disgust tracing her normally-gentle expression, and a vein pulsating in her forehead. Cloud's head--turned in a sharp direction to the left with a bright red mark on his cheek--turned to face her again, one palm going up to hold the area where her hand had made a knifelike impact with with the side of his face.   
  
"Tifa..."  
  
"How dare you." Tifa seethed through her teeth, her eyes filled with tears that threatened to overflow. "How dare you, you--you basically tell me to go to hell because I can't do anything for you in the City of the Ancients, and now... Now, I'm doing exactly what, what you wanted me to do--get over you, because apparently I'm not good enough." She inhaled and exhaled deeply, the tears beginning to fall. The remainder of the AVALANCHE crew remained silent, though Rude and Reno approached the scene to see the fuss. "And...how *dare* you..." She closed her eyes, harshly wiping the tears away with the back of her hand. "..try and dictate my life..."  
  
By now, basically everyone had the gist of exactly why Tifa had left--why Cloud had said he didn't know how or why she had gone--that Reno had been right--etc. Cloud searched around wildly, but no one seemed to do anything--maybe a few or some wanted to, but they just couldn't.  
  
So Tifa left, stalking wildly out and into the stomach of the Highwind, tears of rage slipping down her pale cheeks...leaving a stunned Cloud behind her. 


	12. Contemplations of the Heartless

A/N: wooOOOooooo. over 50 reviews..*sniff* you guys are awesome. oh yes. o.O The Daisaku will be on vacation for 2 weeks, starting tomorrow! X_X If i dun update during that time, Be warned that this story is NOT DEAD. o.O thank you  
  
Disclaimer: No FF7...;_; The song ish! "Rain" by Mai Yamane, of Cowboy Bebop...We love CB...Yes o.O...  
  
---  
  
"I dunno, 'Lena. I feel kind of wierd. And this stuff smells..." Yuffie eyed her reflection in a mirror, cocking a brow. "Gawd...I feel so..." Yuffie scratched the back of her head, searching for the right word. "...GIRLY!" She pressed her hands to her face, dragging her eyes down in an expression of horror. "I mean...geez..." Yuffie scratched her arm, her right eye twitching in mortification at her clothes and appearance, particularly the lip gloss and decorative bangles clasped onto her wrists.  
  
"You look good!" protested the blonde Turk. "You just have *no* taste." Elena grinned, sticking up one thumb and showing her approval. "Yep. I really am a master."  
  
"No comment."  
  
Yuffie wore a black, sleeveless top bearing a turtleneck design much similar to her green one, albeit it had a picture of a turtle wielding a jetpack on it (she thought that was kind of cool, though). Her khaki short shorts, formerly unbuttoned, had been taken out of the ensemble and replaced with a denim skirt--just as short, yet Yuffie hated it with a passion--and, near where it stopped, tan stockings ran down her thighs. On her feet were sneakers. Simple enough. Tied around her waist was a jacket--albeit she hardly found that necessary; why carry around clothes if you weren't going to wear them? And her short hair, albeit still let down, held streaks of dark green done by Elena herself.  
  
"C'mon. I didn't do that bad a job, did I?" Elena asked worriedly, resting her head on the table.  
  
"I guess not..." Yuffie responded slowly, though she was still holding her face as if silently pondering if it was a good idea to go through with this. "But excuuuse me for being disturbed." She prodded the hilights, wondering if they would come off through unconventional means.  
  
A wolf whistle erupted somewhere in the corner, and immediatly Yuffie's fists clenched instinctively over the Conformer, a vein pulsating in her forehead.  
  
"ECCHI!!!!!" Yuffie screamed, hurling the Conformer at Reno violently, in the hopes of decapitation. "DIIIIEEEEE!!!" Reno sweatdropped with no choice but to hit the floor, falling in a face-down position as he felt the shuriken fly just over the place where his stomach would be.  
  
"C'mon babe, it was a compliment!" Reno grinned, scrambling to his feet and holding up his hands in a short surrender. "You look--"  
  
"Stupid. Horrible. I know." Yuffie folded her arms, sneering at the Turk. Yuffie willed his firey doom--if looks could kill, Reno would've been a smoking pile of nothing on the metal floor. //Die, die, DIE--// "And don't say anything if you value the ability to make a woman pregnant." Elena chuckled at this, Reno throwing her a nasty look before resuming his half-intimidated, half-smug smile.   
  
"You don't look half-bad. Really." Reno commented, trying to avoid death by angry Yuffie.  
  
"You're just saying that so you won't die a horrible, painful death." The Shinobi folded her arms, though there was a slight hilight of pink on her face. "You're lucky Cloud is being kind enough to--"  
  
Tifa burst into the Operations Room, her face appearing both pissed and emotionally wounded at the same time, breathing heavily with her hands twitching at her sides. She stalked almost painfully to a chair, her legs and hands shaking, and she fell into it, her hand on her temple and pushing some of her hair upwards. Slight sobs came from her form, her teeth gritted and tears dripping in rivulets down her cheeks.  
  
I don't feel a thing  
  
and I stopped remembering  
  
The days are just like moments turned to hours  
  
"Holy crap, Teef! You okay? What happened?! What whaaaat?!" Yuffie rushed to Tifa's side, stammering out her worries concerning Tifa's well-being. "Ohmigosh! You, you! Stop crying! What happened?"  
  
"Jesus Christ," muttered Reno, an eyebrow mounted almost to his hairline and placing his hands in his pockets, cautiously looking to see the problem.  
  
"God, what happened?" Elena inquired. It was wierd, seeing Elena do that--she had hardened since the death of Tseng. But she knew Rude liked Tifa quite a bit (//God knows why//), and if anything happened to her... Well, Elena cared about some people. Sometimes.  
  
Tifa merely slammed her hand on the table in response, causing a large crack to form under her fist, and a flicker of something odd, similar to the glow of the eye of someone in SOLDIER, appeared in her eyes. But it vanished quickly, and without much notice. But Reno noticed. He shrugged and dismissed it, though it did linger in his mind shortly thereafter, as Vincent and Rufus stormed in with equal regard. Vincent immediatly sat across from Tifa, though he said little to nothing, and Rufus stood by Tifa. It was difficult for the ex-president to comprehend things like tears.  
  
"Jeez! Vinnie, what the heck happened?!" Yuffie exclaimed, quickly taking a seat and patting Tifa rapidly on the shoulder. She glanced up at Vincent, her misty eyes filled with concern and curiosity. After a short second or two or silence, she exclaimed pleadingly, "C'mon, Vin, she's our freakin' friend too, and you know it!"  
  
"...Cloud and Tifa had a slight...difference in choice..." Vincent slowly said, trying to explain it as best as he could without going outside his own limits of wanting to speak. "...he was...disagreeable." he finished at last, hoping *someone* would get the message. Watching Rufus's trigger finger tighten, he guessed that Rufus did. Yes siree. However, at the moment, Vincent had no desire to stop him.   
  
Mother used to say  
  
If you want, you'll find a way  
  
Bet mother never danced through fire shower  
  
Yuffie contemplated this for a second, then her eyes bugged out of her head.  
  
"OH MY GOD! I'LL KILL HIM! THAT SPIKEY-HEADED ASS!" If she was rabid, Yuffie Kisaragi would've foamed at the mouth as she yanked her Conformer out of the wall and made a run for the door, only to be held back by Elena and Reno. "DEAAAATTTHHH! LET GO OF MEEEEEE!!!!!"  
  
"Get a hold of yourself, Kisaragi!" Elena yelped as the Turks dragged her to a chair.  
  
However, Rufus seemed to have the same ideals in mind as he made a start for the door, clutching his shotgun tightly in his palm--until he felt something grab his hand, halting his steps. Stunned and alarmed, he turned around to bitch at whoever was preventing him from unleashing his homicidal tendencies when he saw Tifa, grasping his hand with her palms and giving him a meaningful look, her head still lowered.   
  
"Stay," she pleaded, tears rolling down her face and ignoring looks of awe thrown around. "Stay with me."  
  
(Reno forced down laughter, though a grin was pulling up the side of his face only to be smacked upside the head by Elena and Yuffie. He raised a finger to pull down the twitching muscle on the side of his face.)  
  
Dumbfounded, Rufus nodded slowly and dropped his shotgun, slowly returning to his previous position.  
  
Walk in the rain, in the rain, in the rain  
  
I walk in the rain, in the rain  
  
Is it right or is it wrong  
  
and is it here that I belong  
  
An awkward silence rang around, except for Reno tapping his fingers on the backside of a chair. Elena hit him again, and he gave her another nasty look before ceasing. Tifa had long since stopped sobbing, but tears silently fell down her face, holding her head with one hand as if trying to comprehend what she should do. The other was tightly clutching Rufus's hand--Rufus still looked quite confused, and Reno wanting to laugh at him.  
  
I don't hear a sound  
  
Silent faces in the ground  
  
The quiet screams, but I refused to listen  
  
Vincent sat there, just staring straight ahead and pretending he didn't exist, which was actually working pretty well, so he continued doing that--until Cloud, Mr. Antagonist himself walked in gingerly, pretending not to notice Rufus throwing him dirty looks and Rufus's hand held tightly in Tifa's.  
  
"What do YOU want?" Yuffie demanded, purple-gray eyes glaring at Cloud. Tones of loathing and spite were clearly held in her voice.  
  
"Tifa...I..." Cloud stammered slowly, eyes cast downward and toeing the floor gingerly. "I've...been a--"  
  
"Jerk?" Yuffie suggested, eyes brightening.  
  
"Asshole?" Reno tacked on, grinning.  
  
"Loser?" Elena added, frowning.  
  
"Yeah." Cloud responded, though giving them dirty looks. ".....Tifa....just..." He ignored the fact that Rufus was standing near Tifa, almost protectively. "...I'm sorry...for everything..." There was a moment of silence after the depths of the apology, as they awaited her final judgement.   
  
If there is a hell  
  
I'm sure this is how it smells  
  
Wish this were a dream, but no, it isn't  
  
"You should be--" Rufus started, but Tifa squeezed his hand and stood up gingerly, her legs trembling with the effort. She took a deep breath, and stood up straight, as if preparing to take off a cloak of lead off her shoulders.  
  
"...I'm sorry everyone...and Rufus...I'm sorry..." she said slowly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hands. She took a deep breath, then gazed up at the ceiling thoughtfully, wondering what to say. "Cloud...I love you...I will always love you, and I know you know..." she continued, toeing the ground. Rufus looked like he was stabbed in the forehead. "But," she added quickly, before anyone could say anything, "it...It's...just...not going to happen...okay?" She looked up at the ceiling. "Tell me to leave because I can't do anything...look for me, and fight off anyone who comes close..." she murmured to herself. "...what do you want from me?..."  
  
Walk in the rain, in the rain, in the rain  
  
I walk in the rain, in the rain  
  
Am I right or am I wrong  
  
and is it here that I belong  
  
Cloud stayed silent, avoiding the gaze of all and staring at the ground. It seemed he had realized the folly in his steps and ways, but what would he do about it? He had probably lost her trust by now, anyway... To be honest, he was quite astonished at this admittance as well, but then he swore at himself for being so... Dense.   
  
Rufus's head tilted down and to some left-right direction, as he usually did when suffering from silent discomposure. He contemplated things, but his musings didn't go unnoticed.  
  
But Tifa sat back down, trying her best to be calm, still breathing heavily and face stained with tears, ignoring the awkward silence and gathering her thoughts. Noticably, she was trying to ignore Rufus and Cloud, who hovered in deafening silence as if awaiting something more to be said. She had nothing, however, and continued wiping her eyes as if something was forming there again and again.  
  
Rufus finally took a seat, prompting some movement--Cloud nodded, finally, and stepped backwards out of the Operations Room, still gazing after them until the doors closed...and Rufus sighed loudly, slumping his head in his arms onto the table, his face monotonous as he stared straight ahead, focusing at some point in the wall. He was still quite perturbed.  
  
Tifa was also deathly soundless, staring emptily at some point on the table in the realization that the tears wouldn't stop...allowing the salty water to form tiny puddles.  
  
Breaking down, she unconciously tilted her head to the side, burying her face into Rufus's shoulder. He could feel tears falling onto his coat, dampening the sleeve, but it didn't much matter to the confused Shinra. His lips were pressed into a white line, wondering about many things--his right hand reaching over and gently stroking her face. Startled at his own audacity, he made a moment to retract his hand wondering what the HELL he was doing...Rufus Shinra had cut off all emotion since his mother died. This was just too damn ridicul--  
  
Tifa grabbed his hand again in her own gloveless fingers--her hands looking thin and slightly frail without the Premium Heart. A stunned Rufus allowed her to do such, without refusal. Why was he doing this? Was he getting weaker in her presence? He sighed inwardly, rolling his eyes at himself and allowing her to place his hand back to its former, gentle position. Lost in thought, he allowed his palm to caress her face, continuing to wonder in amazement.  
  
It was like that for a long time.  
  
Walk in the rain, in the rain, in the rain  
  
I walk in the rain, in the rain  
  
Why do I feel so alone  
  
For some reason I think of home 


	13. A New Crowd

A/N: I'm back! o.O YAY! I have an idea for another story.. But.. That'll wait XD thanks reviewers. You guys are awesome XD. *Snivels* The form I used for singing totally blows.. Don't kill me if it's horribly lame and so on ;_; the chapter seems long, but damn ff.net puts lines between everything.. Bear with me, please o_o  
  
Disclaimer: La la la, chicken nuggets o_o and.. Queen song! XD like? good.  
  
---  
  
"Yeah, Shera, sorry 'bout that." Cid mumbled through the cellphone, scratching the back of his head and chewing on his cigarette absentmindedly. "All here...yup...I will...'ight, later." There were a few distorted words coming out of the reciever, and he rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine...@$*@...I love you too. Okay, okay. Bye. BYE!" He rolled his eyes again, pressing the red button on the phone and sighing heavily. Being a married man was a right pain in the ass.  
  
"Old man, it's like, 4 AM." Yuffie mumbled, face buried in a moss-colored sleeping bag and hair looking rather tousled. "It's not even daylight. Go back to sleep. Geezers like you need it." She rolled around in her bag, her Conformer concealed inside an inner layer of the bag.  
  
"@$*&! Shut up, PUNK!" He shook his fist wildly at Yuffie, who smirked and gave a tiny laugh before rolling around again. He scratched the back of his head again, spitting his cigarette over the side of the netted bridge. He pressed a few key buttons, rapping the metal occasionally with his knuckles, and a digital clock appeared in a tiny liquid screen. "It's 5:32. So there." A sheet of metal closed with the tapping of a few more gadgets and things, and some dim lights snapped on.  
  
"Gawd! How does a girl get any sleep with YOU around?!" Yuffie shot out of bed, blinking and eyelids looking rather weighted. Cid chortled some more as more lights snapped on throughout the hull and stomach of the airship, causing a few key AVALANCHE members to stir quietly, then sit up or something. Keyword there being "AVALANCHE". Cid continued to fiddle with a morning setup as Yuffie looked around, yawning. "Where're the Turks?" she asked in the direction of Reeve, who sat up slowly, stretching out his arms and still wearing his blazer. He blinked, glanced around, and shrugged. "Old man, the Turks are missing."  
  
"What a tragedy," he said sarcastically, but he tapped a few more buttons as screens showing the areas dotting the ship popped up. "Not here. Big deal. They @^#*ing go back to Reeve or they don't get #^@*ing payed anyway."   
  
Vincent, who usually slept under the stairs against the wall, stirred slightly, his expert eyes shifting at the cameras and around the ship. His cocked brow was apparently taken note of by Yuffie, who looked around as well. She got to her feet. "Hey Cid, d'ya see Tifa on those camera-things?" the ninja inquired, pointing at him for emphasis.  
  
Cid cast an idle glance at the screens and about the room, then shook his head, shifting slightly to the side.  
  
Cloud burst out of the Operations Room, looking both exhausted and yet slightly panic-stricken. "Tifa's gone!" he yelled frantically, waving his hands in strange gestures. Yuffie couldn't help but stifle a small laugh as Cid glanced up and down the screens again.  
  
"We've established that, Spikes." Cid rolled his eyes. Cloud made a tiny sound of relief, though his eyes were still somewhat panicked.  
  
"Rufus and the Turkeys are long gone, too," Yuffie informed Cloud, who looked even more shot by this news. "Geez, you don't have to go all psycho. I bet she's perfectly fine! She could probably beat the crap out of all of them!" She shook her fist triumphantly. But then, after a moment or two of doing that, she paled. "But what if she can't?! GAH! WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!" She flailed her arms, about as panicked currently as Cloud, leaping to her feet. "Um, okay! What do we do?! WHAT DO WE DO, LEADER-MAN?!" Yuffie screamed, grabbing Cloud by the collar and shaking him violently. "KEEP A COOL HEAD, BLONDIE!!!!" she screamed at him.  
  
"Get a @%@*in' grip!" Barret yelled from the upper deck. "You too, Spike--! #&@(*, one thing happens and everyone goes #^&@in' nuts." He swore loudly, barging down the metal steps. "Think this through befo' I bust you all up for @&(!in' pissing me off--"  
  
"Shut up, Mr. T!" Yuffie screamed.  
  
"Ahem." Red XIII stood up from his animal-like sleeping position, stretching out his front joints and going into the placid sitting position so familiar to him. "As crude as Barret's instruction was, he is correct. Think this through. Reeve did *not* order any 'kidnappings', is that correct?"  
  
"Why would I?" Reeve raised a brow, dusting off his suit.   
  
"Precisely. And the cases of the Turks' behavior has been naught but to follow orders, it is more likely that they are gone of their own accord." Red XIII wisely stated, tail raised to avoid setting the steel aflame.  
  
"Tifa wouldn't go with them...They're Turks, and Rufus, for crying out loud!" Cloud protested.  
  
"I think we've quite discovered that you don't know as much about her as you'd like to think, Pokey." Yuffie said icily, half-glaring at him with misty eyes. There was an awkward silence following that--eyes shifted, brows were raised and Vincent's eyes crinkled in an amused manner, but no one said anything. Cloud moved uncomfortably, purposefully avoiding everyone's gaze and sighing. Red XIII cleared his throat in a knwoing manner. "Sooo, Nanaki, any ideas?"  
  
Red XIII shrugged. "Turks like bars and fights. If this is seriously troubling you..."  
  
---  
  
Reno propped his legs up on the table, a porno magazine on his lap and his eyes glued to it--Rude simply sipped his beer in silence, as did Rufus, whereas Tifa and Elena were in deep conversation at a small wooden bench setup in the Midgar bar set up by a few fans of Tifa, "Final Heaven". A bottle of chardonnay stood in the middle, almost full--soft piano music filled the background, soothing to those without a lot on their mind.   
  
Tifa was wearing a dark violet, almost black tube top with a salmon-colored denim jacket with the sleeves rolled up, the cuffs rather large, with a belt around her black jeans. Each Turk was still in uniform, though Reno had a stain on the front.  
  
Reno looked up at the stage as the raven-haired pianist bowed low, her ebon locks almost reaching the ground, and exited stage left, leaving polite and impressed clapping behind her. An attendant placed a black sign written in bright chalk reading "Open Mic--Karaoke, etc. Accepted" on the side of the stage, free to look at.  
  
The red-haired, cool Turk tapped Rude on the shoulder and pointed to the sign.  
  
"Baldy, you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" he said with an evil grin, closing his magazine and taking a swig from the bottle of chardonnay (much to the chagrin of Elena and Tifa, who ordered another bottle and poured from there). Rude raised a brow disdainfully. "C'mon, Rude. I DARE you." There was a weak spot, right there. Rude shot up faster then he could tack on a "please," brushing off his uniform with a tiny smirk. "Yeah, I thought so. How 'bout you, blondie?...no, not you, 'Lena, Shinra. Sing?" he inquired, rubbing his hands together insidiously.   
  
"Hell. No." Rufus responded immediatly and without skipping a beat. Tifa and Elena chuckled slightly.  
  
"C'mon. It'll be great." Reno pleaded, half-banging his fist on the table with an evil grin.  
  
"No, it won't." Tifa commented, rolling her eyes and resting her head on one of her hands. Back at Tifa's 7th Heaven, Reno would often get drunk and begin belting out Britney Spears songs at the top of his lungs, leaping on a table and doing a horribly uncoordinated dance until he passed out--either from Barret smashing him senseless, or simply from the alcohol reaching his head. Reno sweat-dropped.  
  
"Well, look at it this way, Tifa. I'm sober." Reno shrugged, flipping the part of his tied, blazing red hair over his shoulder. Rufus raised a brow. "Anyway, you in or not? I know you're no chicken, Rufus." Reno and Rufus exchanged confident smirks and glares as Rufus slowly stood up. "Haha, that's more like it."  
  
"Rufus, I am positive you will humiliate yourself up there." Tifa said, attempting to pull down Rufus by the wrist but to no avail, as Elena stared at Reno and Rude almost disbelievingly. "And us. So please? Rude? You're the sane one!" she protested, making hand gestures. "And we're in public, too." she added as an afterthought. Rude shook his head firmly, then swayed slightly in the spot. Elena gave Tifa a look that clearly said, "you can't get through to him, he's drunk". Tifa sighed exasperatedly.  
  
"Has that ever stopped me before?" Reno pulled on his gloves, snapping them onto his hands and the recoil making a loud snap. He kneed his chair in. "C'mon, guys. And ladies..." He winked and gave Elena and Tifa a thumbs-up. "Feel free to cheer."  
  
"Dream on." Elena called after them, rolling her chocolate-brown eyes as they maneuvered to the counter to get up a song. They watched as Reno traced his finger down the list, then stopping over a line and looking up at Rude and Rufus. Rufus nodded with a confident smirk, and Rude pressed one hand to his forehead exasperatedly but nodded in agreement.  
  
An attendant clambered clumsily onto the stage.  
  
"And here, we have Rufus Shinra, Reno Kusanagi, and Rude!" He walked to the side and off the stage as Reno did a dramatic leap onto the stage, whereas Rufus and Rude simply walked up the steps on the side to light applause. Rude looked a bit disgruntled, as did Rufus, but Reno seemed to love the spotlight...  
  
"Ahem." The music began to start.  
  
-Fun.-  
  
"Are you gonna take me home tonight?  
  
Ah, down beside that red fire light;  
  
Are you gonna let it all hang out?  
  
Fat bottomed girls, you make the rocking world go round;  
  
Hey, I was just a skinny lad  
  
Never knew no good from bad;  
  
But I knew love before I left my nursery  
  
Left alone with big fat Fanny  
  
She was such a naughty nanny,  
  
Heap big woman, you made a bad boy out of me  
  
Hey hey!  
  
I've been singing with my band,  
  
Across the wire, across the land  
  
I've seen every blue eyed floozy on the way;  
  
But their beauty and their style  
  
Went kind of smooth after a while  
  
Take me to them lovely ladies every time;  
  
Oh, won't you take me home tonight?  
  
Oh, down beside your red firelight;  
  
Oh, and you give it all you got  
  
Fat bottomed girls, you make the rocking world go round  
  
Fat bottomed girls, you make the rocking world go round  
  
Hey listen here  
  
Now your mortgages and homes  
  
And the stiffness in your bones  
  
Ain't no beauty queens in this locality (I tell you)  
  
Oh, but I still get my pleasure  
  
Still get my greatest treasure  
  
Heap big woman, you made a bad boy out of me  
  
Oh, you gonna take me home tonight (Please)  
  
Oh, down beside that red firelight  
  
Oh, you gonna let it all hang out?  
  
Fat bottomed girls, you make the rocking world go round  
  
Fat bottomed girls, you make the rocking world go round  
  
Get on your bikes and ride  
  
Fat bottomed girls  
  
Fat bottomed girls..."  
  
The music came to a close; two Turks and an ex-president bowed as tumultuous and amused applause ran throughout the bar. Reno flashed the crowd an award-winning grin and a peace sign before maneuvering off the stage after Rude and a rushed Rufus, towards a laughing Elena and Tifa. "That was truly greatness, you guys. I told you it would work out." Reno smirked, plopping back down into his chair and tossing his red rat's tail over his back. Rude smirked as well, dusting off his suit and taking another sip of his beer as if nothing happened, but Rufus looked miffed as he returned to reading the Midgar Bulletin.  
  
"That wasn't half bad...considering how awful it could've been, you guys did pretty well." Elena grinned, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder and pouring some more chardonnay into her glass. "It was pretty funny, too..." She passed the bottle to Tifa, who also liberally applied the alcoholic drink to her wine glass.  
  
"That was horrifying." Rufus commented coldly from behind his newspaper, running a hand through his hair and turning a page.   
  
"You were freaking out up there, Shinra, and I saw you." Reno grinned, putting his hands behind his head and propping his legs on the table. Elena grabbed his porno magazine and hurled it into the wastebasket. "Hey, I was reading that!" he argued, making a start for the wastbasket until both Tifa and Elena held him back down. "Damnit, my magazine."  
  
"That stuff'll rot your brain faster then the alcohol you're drinking." Elena commented, tapping her fingernail on the side of her wine glass making a resonating clink. Reno shrugged, and as if reminded, he picked up his beer bottle and took a long gulp.   
  
"You looked fine, Rufus." Tifa elbowed Reno in the ribs, nearly making him spit out his drink. "A little flustered, but still smooth." She made short hand gestures. "Whereas Reno was doing everything he could to show off." Elena stuck out her tongue at Reno, who shrugged and pretended to flex a muscle. Rufus shrugged, a gesture indicating he was completely unconvinced, and turned the page of his paper. Reno glanced at the headline on the next page.  
  
"Hmm, smuggling Mako. Didn't Reeve put us on that?" Reno took another drink of his beer. Rude nodded.  
  
"And we haven't done anything about it, either." Elena remarked nonchalantly, slightly raising her glass of chardonnay. "Normally I'd complain...but this is good stuff." She ordered another bottle of the alcohol.  
  
"We're rubbing off on you, 'Lena." Reno grinned, reaching to tousle her hair with a skinny hand. She rolled her eyes and batted it away. He sniffled. "The order of my priorities is perfectly fine. Beer, girls, porn, work." He ticked each off with his fingers as Elena, Tifa, and Rufus each raised a brow. "Don't give me shit about it..." He fiddled with the "tail" of his hair as Elena and Rude exchanged glances, then stood up. "What're you guys doing?"  
  
"You've got two girls here, I trashed your porno, but you had your beer. I think we should get to work!" chirruped Elena, placing her hands in her pockets and grinning at Reno.  
  
"Ah, shit. It's happy hour," he whined, but he stood up as well rather reluctantly. "Rude, you too?" he half-wailed, looking as though he was gonna sit back down any second. Rude nodded. "Damn..."  
  
"Do the captain thing, Reno." Elena rolled her eyes.  
  
"Yes, of course milady. Ahem. As the captain of this team...hey Rude, where're we going?"  
  
"Sector 2 warehouse 7."  
  
"Yeah, whatever. We have to go there to kick the ass of some puny small-timers." He thumped his fist against his chest, creating a sort of drumming sound and standing up straight, trying to look important. "Then we grab the Mako storage and..." Reno trailed off, looking to the ceiling to advice, then finally to Rude. "A little help would be nice." Tifa rolled her eyes, resting her chin in her hand and snickering slightly. "Hey, not my fault I lack the capacity to give a royal shit." He ran a hand through his spiked hair, which immediatly sprung back to life after being flattened by his gloved palm. Rude sighed slightly, and if it weren't for his sunglasses, he was probably rolling his eyes.  
  
"Bring it back to Shinra for immediate storage, elimination, and/or forging."  
  
"Yeah, whatever." Reno removed his rod from his pocket, propping the steely item on his shoulder and grinning. The Electro-Mag Rod was pretty heavy for a stick its size--about as heavy as a brick, but it hardly seem to trouble his skinny, lanky figure. Even if it did look like it would snap his own bones upon impact.  
  
He looked down at Tifa and Rufus. "Wanna come? It'd be cool. A nice old-fashioned ass-kicking." His fist tightened over the rod, and his knuckles made amazingly loud crackling noises--much to the displeasure of Elena, who shuddered involuntarily. Rufus and Tifa remained seated. "What--"  
  
"Get a grip, Reno. What if they want to be alone?" Elena grinned, elbowing him in the ribs. Reno smirked, then chuckled slightly, possibly forcing down a louder laugh.  
  
"On second thought, that sounds like fun." Rufus suddenly put his paper down and shot up hastily, placing his hands in the pockets on his outer jacket and looking rather flustered. Reno looked at Tifa expectantly, then extended a somewhat bony hand toward her.  
  
"Well? Hurry up. There're places to go and people to injure."  
  
Tifa grinned and grabbed his wrist, standing up. It seemed the destruction of Sector 7, albeit a heavy blow, was so far away now, in a different past. Maybe she could become a different person. Yeah, that would be pretty cool... She stood up, tightening her gloves so a snapping sound resonated on her wrists.   
  
"Yeah, that's more like it. Let's go." 


	14. Progress of Feeling

A/N: Thanks for the reviews X3 There is no song in this chapter, but it's long as hell o_O Hope you like it *waves to reviewers and hands out donuts* It's. Long. You might want to eat those donuts, Don't expect an uber-long chappie like this for a while XD!  
  
the lyrics are from Queen's song. Yes. It was a good idea at the time, don't kill me XD;;  
  
x.X I dun watch X/19.. Daisaku got the last name from Shizuma, from Real Bout High School. And I dunno why Rude doesn't have a last name. XD He's just like. OUT THERE.   
  
Disclaimer: No FF7... for now! MWHAHAHAHAHA *runs to Square* I'M HERE TO TAKE FF7-- ah, crap *is shot* o_o  
  
---  
  
"Alright, this is it," Reno said, standing in front of a near-abandoned, pitiful looking warehouse with large block letters, chipped and fading atop reading "7". "Sector 2's warehouse number 7. Abandoned, once set on fire." He looked it up and down. "If you kicked it hard enough, it'd probably fall apart." His fellow Turks, Tifa, and Rufus were standing behind him. "Reeve put us on this mission weeks ago. Better late then never." The red-haired Turk smirked, pressing his ear to the paper-thin walls and listening to gruff voices within.  
  
"There are guards standing by. They're not outside...pretty clever." Reno snorted, rolling his aquamarine eyes and tossing his hair nonchalantly. "Whatever. Me and Lockheart will go through the front. 'Lena can take the back door, and Shinra and Baldy take the ceiling. Panels are damn easy to break."  
  
Elena, Rude, and Rufus each cocked a brow in unison. Reno and Rude usually paired up for team missions--they were like brothers, able to predict the others' moves without so much as a glance at one another.   
  
Elena glanced up at Rude for support, but he simply shrugged in response.  
  
Rufus's miffed appearance faded as quickly as it came, unnoticed by all as he nodded in a buisnesslike manner. It was so strange, taking orders from someone who used to be his hired assassin. Oh well. No use dwelling on a past long gone; he was another man, still cold, basically the same, but no longer one who dwelled on things like big-screen TVs and 4-story houses.  
  
"Haha...alright, move out." The small group nodded and split, each heading in an ordered direction posthaste. Tifa put her hands in her pockets as Reno and Tifa made a short maneuver to the door, her gaze transfixed on the sky as they neared the door. There was a short silence as Reno listened quietly, but his crystalline gaze maneuvered to Tifa. "'Sup?" he greeted airily, as if he didn't notice her. "What're you looking at?"  
  
"Not much." She turned her head back to the front in time to see Reno shrug, then press a few dials on his Rolex that looked as if they originally weren't there.   
  
"Ready?" He turned his head to look at the brunette standing at his side, his prism-like eyes sparkling gleefully...or maybe the gleaming stars were just reflective off them. Tifa nodded, cracking her knuckles at her sides and looking rather excited, her brow knitted in determination above her crimson eyes. "Spunky, aren't we?" Before giving her time to protest or respond with a sarcastic comment, he kicked down the door violently and marched in, just as Rufus and Rude expertly crashed through large holes in the roof and an opposite door was beaten down at the other end of the room.  
  
Two buff-looking men maneuvered over to them wielding sniper rifles--they were large, yes, but with beady eyes and large foreheads they looked rather on the dim side. Tifa followed uncertainly after Reno, who tapped his rod on his shoulder with a confident, arrogant smirk.  
  
The guys, considerably taller then Reno, hovered over him, casting a shadow over his slim finger, their tiny eyes narrowed in dislike. Reno ducked low, becoming about the height of their stomach, and smoothly pushed his fist into their stomach--his gloved hand protruding what appeared to be rock-hard abs and sinking into the soft flesh. Saliva and blood splattered out of the man's mouth, eyes wide as compared to their once-miniscule state, and the enormous man with a figure rivalling that of Barret's fell backwards, clutching their stomach.  
  
The other made a short dive for Reno, leaning in with shoulder and arm as if trying to grab him; easily, almost gracefully, Reno stepped out of the way, the rat's tail on his hair fluttering about; and with ease, he pushed his elbow down onto his spine, creating a large elbow-shaped indent on his back.  
  
Tifa was...well, she was amazed, her cherry gaze glancing up to see Elena, still weakest of the three, the rookie, smashing down several with a confident face. They were having fun at this.  
  
Two unconcious men, perhaps the other dead, lay at Reno's feet as there were signals of alarm; several more similar men ran down the steps, Rufus taking expert aim and taking them out as they ran in line; Rude, too, did this with a machine gun, picking away at them one by one as they jogged. Reno looked around, then walked towards a few boxes chained shut. Rolling his eyes, he gave the wood a firm kick, making a hole with frayed edges reveal bottles of a liquid with a bright glow...  
  
"Found the mako." he called. "Take care of the rest."  
  
"Don't--" Elena shot a random bouncer in the forehead. "--be a lazy ass, Reno, and do a little charity work!" Her hand with the gun retracted as she thrust out her leg, smashing her foot artfully into the face of another guy, then retracting it and in a flash was found flying into another in a speed to rival Tifa's own.  
  
"There's more." Rude's baritone voice was made barely audible amongst the chaos and fighting, reloading his machine gun.  
  
"Fuck, they're coming from other warehouses," Reno muttered, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket with two fingers. He dropped his rod onto the edge of his classy black shoe, where it balanced upwardly on the toe of his shoe without so much as a few shakes, then, balancing the rod on his shoe, pulled out a silver lighter and clicking it open with a thrust of his arm, cupping one hand around his mouth and lighting it. In another smooth motion, he shoved it in his pocket and gave the toe of his shoe a small kick/jolt, sending the rod flying upwards somewhat like a rocket, where he grabbed it. "Fine. Get your asses ready.   
  
"Oh, and Elena..." He shot his blonde companion a look as she beated off three more with a floundering roundhouse kick. "It's 'Captain' Reno."  
  
More thugs and bouncers swarmed into the warehouse, leaving little time for Tifa to crack her knuckles. As Rufus and Rude began picking off the swarm with guns, blood splattering on random crates, Tifa went into a rather relaxed fighting position--not holding her hands high and tense like she usually did, but more low and relaxed.   
  
A storm of bullets rained down, loud gunshots ringing in ears as holes in crates, walls, and staircases formed one by one almost as if they appeared there magically.  
  
"Damnit, Baldy, gimmie an estimate!" Reno yelled over the chaos, stepping over dead and/or unconcious bodies in order to dive in the swarm.  
  
"Twenty, thirty per side. One or two from the stairs."  
  
"Do you need an order for everything? Go help Elena, damnit!" Rude nodded, acknowledging his course of action and making an impressive jump off the high stack of crates upon which he stood and nearly headfirst into the swarm. Reno looked over his shoulder, rolling his sparkling eyes. "Not too brilliant."  
  
Tifa chose a more efficient plan of action instead of crawling in and around the dead bodies; lightly tossing a few thick locks of chocolate brown over her shoulder, she shifted slightly backwards, then did an impressive front-hand spring onto a crate and simply leapt into the crowd from there.  
  
"Nice moves, Lockheart." Reno smirked over his shoulder, his jewel-like eyes glimmering with amusement.  
  
"Thanks." She grinned, tucking her hair behind her ear and cracking her knuckles as the thugs began to form a sort of distanced circle around Reno and Tifa, as was the case across the room with Elena and Rude. Reno looked highly amused as the circle formation became neater and neater, as if they were all going to charge simultaneously at one point, then slapped his own knee lightly with the rod.  
  
The rod extended to...well, longer then usual--3, 4 feet tops. Aside from the leathery hilt, it crackled with blue-and-white electricity, as if it, too, like its owner, desired a battle. Fun and games.  
  
There was a silence ringing through, as two pairs of two were surrounded in a couple feet's distance from an enormous group, each staring and blinking menacingly as if they're going to charge. It was almost as if fighter and thug alike was silently daring the opposing group through glares and smirks--to make a move.   
  
Elena and Rude stood back-to-back, Rude palming the machine gun and Elena fingering her amulet nonchalantly, her deep brown eyes narrowed in dislike and arrogance. She felt his head turn slightly, and she nodded; he handed her the machine gun by twisting his palm backwards, and she held it in her own hand. A couple of thugs shifted slightly in anticipation as her eyes scanned her part of the circle--they rested, finally, upon a rather large (well, largER then the rest), bulky thug with a bandana tied around his head and on his forearms. She smirked, her eyes shifting to the bald man behind her, and he nodded as well.  
  
She hurled the gun at the man, hitting him squarely in the forehead and knocking him cold.  
  
And the rest charged.  
  
Feeling rather energetic, hyper, and rather excited about being back in the heat of battle, she felt her limit bursting at the seams; this is where she belonged, she was never a sit-down person. Ignoring the rest of her skills, she decided to go with one--after all, she didn't have any Slash-All or anything...  
  
As energy began to charge in the palm of her fists, Reno took the glimmer, then sparks that began to fly out of her clenched palm a bad sign, and did a sort of leap onto a crate--a second too late, as her fist already plummeted into the concrete ground.  
  
There was an enormous crack, then a nuclear explosion, the shockwaves and eruptions about frying every person within the radius of that side of the room; the shockwaves, however, had begun to pry at Reno's back, and being flung into the air, he screamed "WWWAAAAAAHHHOOOOOO!!!!!!!" at the top of his lungs before slamming face-first into a crate. The strong gusts stopped, and there was a short-lived silence as a pile of dead and/or unconcious bodies lay in heaps around the ground. Rude glanced at Tifa across, then smirked approvingly; Elena was looking around in astonishment, murmuring "woah" under her breath, then gave Tifa a thumbs-up.  
  
"Damn, Lockheart," Reno grunted, pulling his head out of the hole in a crate, "a massa--"  
  
Several gunshots and things resonated through a room at the top of a metal grate staircase, then crashes, and other violent-sounding things were heard. Tifa's eyebrows shot up, turning to look up at it, her arms limp at her sides, wondering what was going on--  
  
"Shinra!" Reno suddenly yelped. "Fuck, I forgot--"  
  
Tifa, panicked now, leapt on box after box, ignoring small cuts and a tiny rivulet of blood trickling down the side of her lips, and stared up at the metal floor; realizing it was too directly above her for her to stand on the edge of the crate, she stared desperately at the metal steps. They creaked and groaned as if in pain, bullet holes riddling the handles, and one of the poles looking almost shattered. Biting her lip, she leapt up, grasping the tiny rings with her finger and shimmying, despite the feeling her fingers would follow off, to the edge.  
  
She hung from the edge of the platform, facing the same direction as the door; beginning to swing slowly back and forth, the Premium Heart gloves slightly soothing to the unbelievably aches in her fingers, she hurled herself onto the platform, almost losing her balance as her feet reached the grates. Swaying slightly, fingers pained and rather sliced, she shook her head, and turned to the door.   
  
"Eep!" A bullet grazed her hair, flying through the glass window and hurtling in the opposite direction. Several more gunshots rang out, deafening to the ears--the sounds were almost rhythmic now, never ceasing--  
  
Panicked, worried, frustrated, and unable to think, she rammed down the door with her shoulder, her eyes flickering over the scene before her.  
  
Scarlet stood laughing that annoying laugh of hers, the cloth strap of a military gun slung over her shoulder; she was about as sallow as ever, her pale green eyes flecked with brown ("your eyes look like moldy crap, Scar" -Reno) and her lip curled upward in amusement. Her red dress was splattered with blood, and five renegade members of SOLDIER stood behind her in a perfect line, each holding guns in the exact same pose. Seven bodies of dead SOLDIER were strewn violently across the room.  
  
Rufus stood across from them, several bullet holes riddling his body and blood trickling out of the side of his mouth, his eyes stony and his hair somewhat disheveled; he apparently had taken shelter behind the desk, as it was riddled with bullet holes. About a billion used bullets had fallen to the floor in the office-like room, and his once neat, perfect coat now dripped with red, as were some parts of the wall.   
  
The side of his lip was curled upwards, however.  
  
"...Oh, it's you." Scarlet sneered at Tifa, flipping a strand of bright blonde from the bun on her head over her shoulder. "Kyahahahaha...you're too late...that is, if you came to his aid." She cast a scornful look at Rufus, where blood dripped out of his wounds in tiny rivers and waterfalls, then smirked again, her lipstick thick and extremely red. Tifa's glance shifted wildly between hatred at Scarlet and extreme worry for Rufus.  
  
"You bit--"  
  
"Kyahahaha! Of course! You here on a trip?" Scarlet inquired sardonically, placing her hand on her hip. "Of course you are; who in their right mind would come to save HIM? Kyahahah..." She nodded towards a bleeding Rufus, who was standing as straight as he could--you probably wouldn't be able to tell he was bleeding to death with the proud look on his face.  
  
"Once a bitch..." Rufus grunted, tossing his hair as he usually did and staring icily at Scarlet. "...always a bitch."  
  
"Shut up!" She thrust her hand out to the side, and the SOLDIER members immediatly begin to open fire. Tifa's teeth gnashed together, her eyes wide and mortified as plenty more holes appeared in his coat, and even more mortified at the blood that soared out of the holes and onto the tile.   
  
"No!"  
  
Rufus bent backwards, his spin curved awkwardly, and his foot stepped backwards in an attempt to maintain his balance; losing the strength to stand, he sank into a deep crouch, then placed his hand on the desk and pushed himself back up, shaking slightly, and attempting to stand up straight. "Men are so stubborn...kyahaha..."  
  
He let go of the desk, standing straight and stiff again, closing his eyes.  
  
"Kyahahaha! Didn't they say Rufus Shinra was never seen bleeding or crying?" The blonde bitch of the year let out a horrible, horselike laugh, brushing long strands of bright yellow aside of her face. "Kyah...what a damn lie!" she chortled. "Only fifteen SOLDIERs and he goes down!...of course...they do have a slight advantage..." She smirked again, but stopped there, as if not about to let anything slip out. She thrust her hand to the side again, but made a small gesture with her hands.  
  
They loaded their guns with different bullets--they looked rounder, and quite larger...  
  
And they fired.  
  
The bullets flew at top speed towards Rufus, and as they made contact with his neat coat, they flew straight at his skin neatly. Upon contact, the bullets in question didn't pierce, but actually exploded with enough force to send him flying--no, SOARING backwards at the wall, his body curved tremendously as he slammed backwards into the wall with a loud bang.  
  
As his back made contact with the peach-colored paint, he slid down, limply, like a rag doll, onto the floor, his shotgun held at his hand. Blood smeared the wall where he landed, and it looked disgusting, as if a brush dipped, covered, and dripping with wet paint had struck across the wall and down.  
  
His eyelids drooped slightly, as if willing themselves not to close, and he glanced up at Tifa. Looking away immediatly, his hand shifted to the floor. And he tried to push himself up, stumbling against the wall--but only sliding back down, more blood streaked across the wall. Her eyes softened, and her head tilted downward, her hands shaking at her sides. She could hear Scarlet laughing somewhere distant, but it didn't matter anymore...Her eyes, now empty and almost entranced, slowly moved to see Scarlet chortling heartily. How dare she... How dare she.  
  
"BITCH!!!" she screamed, another surge of energy jolting through her legs and arms; she ran at Scarlet, who looked somewhat taken aback by this surge of rage, but didn't have time to think as Tifa's fist went flying into her face.  
  
The blonde stumbled backwards, her face looking scrunched slightly and holding her nose and jaw. Blood splattered in waterfalls out of her nose, not enough for her hand and dripping over to the floor. But Tifa wasn't done. No, she maneuvered to Scarlet's side, energy pulsating through her veins, the sensation feeling familiar--the same energy she felt attacking the Jenova when Aeris died, the energy that made her stubborn enough to challenge Sephiroth as a child... As she did this movement, she shoved her elbow and into the side and front of Scarlet's neck. Hearing a small click in her throat gave her a savage sense of satisfaction...  
  
One SOLDIER member ran up to Tifa and attempted to fend her off, whilst the others picked up the pained form of Scarlet and leapt to the window and out. Enraged by the loss of her target, she glared coldly into the empty mask of the SOLDIER, and promptly pushed her fist into his neck. Blood splattered onto her hair and shirt, and the SOLDIER fell over, his mouth bleeding waterfalls, dead.  
  
Now aware of the tears of rage, sorrow, sympathy and pain splashing in rivulets down her cheeks, she didn't much care anymore as she raced to Rufus's side, cradling her head with one arm and placing the other on his torso.  
  
Tifa rocked back and forth, his unconcious form in her arms; she felt her intense feelings of pain and concern increase as blood trickled from his wounds onto her arm.  
  
//Don't die, don't die, don't die...// she thought over and over again, even the voice in her thoughts sounding pained and shaky. //Don't die, don't die, you can't leave me here...// Desperately, she traced her finger down his neck for a pulse. It was faint. Very faint.  
  
"Holy shit!" Reno busted into the room, his rod raised and ready to fend off anyone--but his arm lowered, slowly, rather intimidated by the sight that lay before him. Walls, floors, everything was dotted and lined with bullets; capsules lay in piles at the ground, but much to his astonishment, Tifa holding a *bleeding* Rufus on the ground. "Holy shit," he repeated, dropping his rod and moving inside, Rude and Elena following close behind him. Elena almost tripped over the rod, but her brown eyes widened to a large extent.  
  
"Oh. My. God." She ran over to Tifa, ducking down to look up and down his form. Rude followed, his eyebrow twitching but saying nothing.  
  
"Lockheart, what the hell happened?" he asked, picking up a bullet and examining it. "These are bullets from the guns they issue at SOLDIER." he said, examining it with sharp eyes. "SOLDIER was here?"  
  
Tifa looked up at him, nodding slowly. The red-haired Turk dropped the bullet, rather startled at the tears that stained her cheeks, dripping down in vast amounts and splattering on the floor. He blinked, then shrugged and looked among the mess--a certain set catching his eye, he kneeled down to pick it up.  
  
"These aren't from SOLDIER." Reno looked at it some more, then bit it a little. "Was someone else here?" He glanced at Tifa for an answer, but she didn't look up.  
  
"......Scarlet," she said hoarsely.  
  
"Holy shit!" he exclaimed, swallowing the bullet by accident. "Oops. Did you fight her? She's a shitty close-ranger, but one hell of a shot."  
  
Tifa nodded, and Reno bristled, looking impressed.  
  
Reno watched Rude fidget uncomfortably; with a brotherly sense, he could tell that the bald one was heaving a pained sigh inwardly. There were a million of things Reno could've said right there, but shut up as Rude slowly maneuvered to Rufus's limp form, examining his deathly limp form. He raised a brow.  
  
"It's a miracle he's still alive." Rude murmured. "...Take off his clothes."  
  
"Baldy, I didn't know you swung that way!" Reno exclaimed, much to the chagrin of his fellow Turks; he clasped a hand over his mouth. "Shit, let something slip. Damn me."  
  
"I need to check the damage, Reno." Rude said calmly, though it was clear he was annoyed.  
  
"Yeah Reno, shut up!" Elena screamed at him, looking ready to hurl something heavy at him.  
  
"Sorry, sorry." Reno turned a light shade of red, a sweatdrop forming on the back of his head.  
  
-It's ironic that the first time you take the clothes off a man, he's dying, isn't it?-  
  
Tifa wiped her tears with one hand's finger, then unbuttoned the single button on his short, outer coat, carefully unwrapping it from the other layers of his clothes and putting it aside. She began pulling apart the buttons on his longer coat, which, too, was stained with a deep red color, then having difficulty pushing him up to take it off his arms, Rude lifted up the blonde man's back, allowing her to unravel the pearly-white coat from his arms and back. Elena looked up at Rude, about to give him a small smile.  
  
His eyebrow was twitching, as was the corner of his mouth; normally, this wouldn't bother anyone, but when you're a Turk, you begin to adjust and are able to interpret the feelings of one another, like a sixth sense. Elena stared up at him, concerned and somewhat worried--Rude was a monotonous man, rarely showing pain or extreme emotion. But he was hurting.  
  
Reno seemed to sense this too, and walked over to Rude and clasped a hand on his shoulder. The corner of his lip twitched.  
  
"Jesus Christ, you can only wear so many clothes."  
  
Tifa grabbed hold of the thick, black turtleneck that he wore under his coats, grasping the cloth and pulling it over his head, gently lifting his arms and placing the heavy thing in the small pile next to her. The remaining piece was the white sleeveless muscle shirt she had seen him wear, on that day in Junon when they first got on "pleasant" speaking terms; there were slight indentations where bullets had pierced his flesh. She felt her face turn slightly pink, the tears having stopped falling; she frowned, the corner of her lip trembling slightly, and took the top and pulled it over his head.  
  
Bullets and wounds ignored, Rufus had an impressive figure to rival Sephiroth's or Cloud's, making Tifa wonder if he was as strong. Then again, Cloud and Sephiroth were enhanced by Jenova and Mako...but who was to say he, the son of the former Shinra, wasn't introduced to the concept himself? She thought about this for a few moments, before her attention was drawn by Rude's report.  
  
"...Holy crap..." he murmured, looking up the various bullet holes. "...it's a miracle he's still alive."   
  
"Holy crap, nothing! HOLY SHIT!" Reno yelled, pointing at a rather gaping hole in Rufus Shinra's right flank--about the size of a CD or even a bowling ball.   
  
"WOAH!" Elena stumbled backwards. "Jesus Christ, he's going to die!" Tifa's head swung in her direction rather disdainfully; Elena sweatdropped, knowing that she stole away some of Tifa's hope.  
  
"No, he's not." Rude said calmly and much to Tifa's relief, examining the enormous hole carefully and pointing. "......It's not bleeding.......It has all the things it would have......except skin to hide it from view." he finished carefully, whatever astonishment he felt hidden behind a pair of black sunglasses. Puzzled, Elena, Reno, and Tifa peered over at the hole. He was right: there was a small network of veins, arteries, and the like, blood coursing through them hurriedly; even blood hovered in that area.   
  
"So why the hell doesn't his guts spill out when he walks around?" Reno inquired incredulously. "Can I poke it?" Elena smacked him upside the head. "Ow, damnit all." He grunted as Rude slowly extended a finger, gingerly ready to poke it. But his finger seemed to crash against something nearly invisible.  
  
"What...in the hell..." he murmured, Reno, Elena, and Tifa leaning in closer to get a better look. He tilted his head a little, and blinked behind his sunglasses. "...there's something there." He rapped on the invisible--whatever it was--with his knuckles, and it made a short ringing sound. "...it's likr crystal..." Reno tilted his head, the light reflecting and making the clear thing somewhat visible.  
  
"No, that's genuine diamond." Rude and Tifa both raised a brow at him curiously. "I've blown my gil on some crap in my day..." He shrugged.  
  
"Why the hell would someone put diamond instead of SKIN?!" Elena's eyes nearly bugged out of her head.  
  
"As far as I know, there are no current operations that do this." Rude mumbled, prodding it some more. "If a man is dying, they give him stitches.......they don't stick diamond sheets on people." He trailed off, and there was a short silence--Tifa looked...well, she looked creeped out, and rather surprised. How could he keep this from her? Then again, Rufus was never one to spill beans easily. ".....on another note.....a Restore Materia will cure the bullet holes."  
  
Reno walked to the doorway and picked up his rod, then plucked out a greenish orb. "Got one!" he chirped, tossing it to Tifa. "Go nuts." He ran a hand through his unruly hair. Elena grinned at him; he scratched the back of his head. Palming the orb, Tifa's palm enclosed around it, murmuring slightly as the wounds closed and the blood faded. The prism-like coat over the hole did not fade.  
  
Rufus's eyelids slowly lifted, looking as though he woke up from a long and heavy sleep; he glanced around, then at his coatless and shirtless state. He raised a brow, slowly taking this in.  
  
"Who the hell took off my clothes?" he asked, looking rather disgruntled. A sharp intake of air was heard from Tifa, and she flung her arms around him.  
  
"He's alive!" Tifa cried, burying her face in his neck and punching him in the rib with her right arm. "You idiot!" Rufus grabbed her hand to prevent damage to his ribcage, then raised a brow at Rude, Elena, and Reno, who each shrugged in turn; Tifa continued to sob. "Why did you have to go all macho and take on Scarlet and friends by yourself?! You almost died!" She banged her fist on his torso. "Almost--died--worried--sick--you--BASTARD!"  
  
"I'm going to 'almost die' if you continue to mercilessly try and maim my ribcage," Rufus said sarcastically. Tifa ceased smashing his ribcage and crying, but rather just wrapped her arms around his neck. He purposefully avoided looking at the Turks, glancing to the side.  
  
"She was damn worried about you, Shinra." Reno spoke up with a playful grin. Rufus sent an icy glare in his direction, and he shrugged nonchalantly, picking up the Materia and stuffing it back into his orb.  
  
"Is that so?" the shirtless blonde replied, the side of his lip pulling up in a smirk nonchalantly.  
  
"Yes, it IS. You better be nice to her, or you'll regret it!" Elena exclaimed, pointing at him with somewhat of an accusing finger. Rufus, obviously not expecting an answer to his question--and such a...erm, advisory one at that--averted his gaze again, staring out the window where Scarlet and her SOLDIER flunkies had leapt out. Reno gave Elena a thumbs-up; she smirked in a very Reno-ish way, prompting Reno to give her a stupid grin that said "I'm rubbing off on you, damnit". Rufus sighed loudly, looking flustered.  
  
"...you, ah...have blood in your hair." Rufus stared at the blood splattered onto her shimmering brown hair, dripping down to the brown-red ribbon she used to tie it.  
  
"I fought Scarlet," came the muffled, bitter reply from where Tifa's head was stationed neatly by his long neck.  
  
"......." Rufus glanced up at the Turks--Reno and Elena were both staring at him, grinning in a sly way. He hated that. He glared back at them, achieving little effect; he sighed again, frowning slightly. It was awkward--damn awkward at that; Rufus was probably sweating bullets right now, and the Turks were probably noticing too. He leaned his head against the wall, closing his eyes and avoiding their gaze.  
  
"Well, let's get moving. The Scooby Squad are probably looking for you now, Lockheart. It's been a hunky-dory time." Reno looked at his fellow Turks, and each nodded at the same time (they had the startling ability to do gestures like waving, smirking, and nodding at the same time, and if they did it slowly it was pretty disturbing). They walked out of the room in line, walking to the steel banister and leaping off.  
  
Tifa slowly unwrapped her arms and clambered off, standing up and turning around with her hands folded behind her head. He climbed to his feet as well, pulling on his white top, then his turtleneck. Wondering awkwardly about what he should do, he stared after her retreating form.  
  
"Tifa, wait." Rufus began. //What should I do?...Fuck, I hate this.// He maintained a stony, monotonous face as Tifa spun around curiously at the sound of her name, walking towards Rufus cautiously.   
  
"Yes?"  
  
//Fuck, fuck, fuck. Nice going, Rufus. Too damn thick to think before you act.//  
  
"...It's nothing. Forget it." He shook his head dismissively, making a start for the door.  
  
"No, what was it?" she inquired further, trotting after him.  
  
//It really was nothing.//  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Rufus..." Tifa raced to him, pressing his shoulder and forcing him to turn around. Her crimson eyes bore into his own deep, but lightless eyes, desperately searching for some answer beyond the Poker face he usually had down pat. He stared back, an eyebrow raised and his lip curled downward. "Come on, what is it?" she pressed curiously. "I won't stop bugging you 'till you tell me." She grinned at him, her cheeks still somewhat stained by tears.  
  
"..." He looked around in his mind for what he was intending to do when he first called her name. "Erm..." He ran a hand through his hair. ".......Thank you...." he half-stammered, his hand remaining behind his head. //Rufus Shinra, the walking emotional complex.// he thought, making a mental note to shoot something on the trip back to the Highwind.  
  
Tifa grinned cheerily, pulling him down by the collar of his turtleneck. He was about to ask what the hell she was doing--at least, until she leaned up and forward to place her lips gently on his cheek, then pulled away and backed off towards the door with a playful grin, backing away from there. She gave a small wave and clambered down the banister.  
  
Rufus blinked, raising his hand to prod the area Tifa had kissed and looking blank. Feeling a heating sensation creep onto his face, he slung his jackets over his shoulder.  
  
He felt something, something he hadn't felt in a long time awaken in him. His heart felt a small squeezing sensation, a foreign thing--dazed, he maneuvered off the second floor of the warehouse and began following the Turks, and Tifa, out the door. 


	15. Don't Want Change

A/N: Woo o.0 Stuff! XD yes, my writing is declining. *smacks self in forehead* gomen-nasai.. Oh well XD *munches on taco* o_O   
  
Disclaimer: FF7 is not Daisaku's ;_;  
  
---  
  
"Why did you take her on the damn mission, Reno?" Cloud demanded, his Mako eyes glaring icily at the captain of the Turks, anger strewn across his once-flawless features; Reno barely flinched, his jewel-like eyes haunted with mirth and beguilement as he fixed his gaze on Cloud, unblinking, unafraid of the consequences of his actions. "She could've been seriously injured. I also don't recall permitting you to leave."   
  
He inhaled sharply through his nose, expressing intense dislike and disdain over the actions of the red-haired Turk as the corner of his lip twitched downward.  
  
Reno's bright eyes wheeled impassively to the sky, snorting derisively at Cloud's elongated lecture. "Look, pokey, I asked her if she wanted to and she said yes. You got a problem? No one cares." He watched Cloud's temper flare visibly; if he could give off heat waves, he probably could, as Reno looked at him as if he was some kind of joke that didn't need laughing about. "And please, spare me the use of the word 'permit'. As far as I can tell, you're the boss of your little terrorist meatheads and I got my own group. I give orders to the Turks, NOT you; so feel free to go to hell."  
  
Intense loathing flared in Cloud's eyes, the ultramarine orbs gleaming with a murderous rage--and Reno's eyes and smirk responded mockingly, as if challenging him, enticing him to take out the Ultima Weapon and try to skewer him right there. Struggling against that urge, Cloud's hands clenched tightly and he settled for a short, low growling sound emitting from his throat.  
  
"Easy, tiger. Why the hell are you taking this so personally? Happy hour and a job was finished, I got paid, Lockheart's back. Can't everything just be hunky dory?" Reno's question pushed Cloud's nerves to a near breaking point, but he wasn't totally oblivious to this; choosing to act out the part instead, he fiddled with the rat's tail of his sanguine hair.  
  
Cloud said nothing, maintaining a silence with a desolate look reappearing in his eyes, walking slowly to the rail and staring at the clouds and the Planet beneath the Highwind. Reno screened his mind of the events triggering this anger--the singing? No. The job? No. Then there was always Tifa.  
  
"Ah, I get it now." Reno's brow lowered slightly in a small, contemplative frown; with this inquiry, he knew he was delving deeper into the how and why of the love trangle concerning two stoic men and an outgoing, cheerful woman. "This is about that thing that happened, isn't it? 'Lena and Rude caught a glimpse." He bristled slightly, shifting his light weight from one foot to the other and ready to await a heavy object being hurled at him.  
  
"...I don't understand," Cloud said. "Why...why Rufus Shinra? I thought..."  
  
"No, you knew. Note the past tense." Reno pressed on, having been a witness to most of the single events that put dampers in Tifa's tenacious attachment to Cloud. "Hell, I'm surprised she hasn't kicked your ass yet." His eyes sparkled with understanding and knowing, folding his arms without reserve. "And now she'll probably like some other guy, some guy whose ass you kicked a few years back. So what? Let her do whatever the hell she wants."  
  
Cloud remained silent, nagging voices in his head reminding him of what Tifa and he had been through together: the way he had promised to be her hero, how she stayed with him in his coma and even while he loved Aeris.  
  
So much together, yet so little to show for it...  
  
Cloud turned around and walked off the Upper Deck, a few loose strands of naturally spiked hair flowing rapidly in the breeze and sticking to the back of his neck due to the intense heat wave; as he neared the exit, he could hear Reno silently chuckling and following behind him.  
  
---  
  
The Turks and Tifa sat in the Operations Room in front of Rufus, who was simply sitting there resting his head in his arms on the table. He looked tired and bored, as well as unwilling to exit the room as there was a startling heat wave in the outermost parts of the ship. There was a stiff silence, partly because of exhaustion, until the Operations Room door opened--  
  
But no one was there.  
  
"Is that thing broken or something?" Elena inquired, standing up and making a move to close the door, her blonde, short hair sticking to the back of her neck from perspiration. Frowning her brown eyes, she scanned the doorframe once again--  
  
"OOGA BOOGA BOOGA!!" Reno screamed, hanging upside-down from the doorframe with a stupid look on his face: only to find the tip of Elena's cool, black gun pressed firmly, one-handedly onto his forehead, where firey locks hung floating off his hairline. His crystal-like eyes glittered, amused, as Elena's brows were knitted as if Reno was one of those targets that had failed to surprise her. He chuckled, placing his hands behind his head and still upside-down, beaming at his comrades. "Damn, 'Lena. Pretty fast..." Her gun hand lowered, and she grinned--but in the blink of an eye, Reno poked her in the forehead with enough force to actually send her reeling a little ways backwards. "..but not fast enough."  
  
Laughing, he extended his hands and slowly lowered to the floor, lowering his legs from their position on the sign and standing upright and chuckling until he found Elena tackling him in order to rip his hair out. "AAHHH!!!! GET IT OFF! JESUS CHRIST!" he screamed, running around the Operations Room frantically as Elena beat on his head violently.  
  
"WHO'RE YOU CALLING 'IT,' BUDDY?!"  
  
"RUDE, HELP! SHE'S TRYING TO TEAR OUT MY BEAUTIFUL FIREY LOCKS! SHINRA?! LOCKHEART?!?! WON'T SOMEONE HELP ME?!" he screamed desperately, running around the room. "I'M GOING TO DIE!!! NO ONE CARES ABOUT ME!" Reno wailed as Elena ruthlessly yanked at his hair, banged on his head, and did other painful things.  
  
Rude shook his head, smirking slightly and taking an elongated sip of his beer; it was hard to tell that his eyes, whatever color they were behind his shades, were tracking their movements, and he chuckled silently into his bottle. Rude then placed it back onto the table, staring with slightly blurred vision--five or six other empty bottles were on the floor next to his chair, but he was hardly fazed. Blinking a little, his vision returned to normal, and he continued to watch Elena ruthlessly beat on Reno.  
  
There was a silence from Tifa, who had an empty bottle of Chardonnay and a couple of wine glasses strewn from what was Elena's seat before she had begun fighting with Reno. Rufus was also soundless, a half-empty bottle of beer across from him, but his lack of speech was more awkward; it was rather noticeable he refused to look anywhere but the label on the bottle.  
  
"Rufus, are you okay?" Tifa inquired concernedly, looking up at him. Rude felt his fingers subconciously loosen around his beer bottle, but said nothing as Rufus nodded slowly. He stood up and made a move for the door. "Where're you going?"  
  
He stopped before the door, and responded monotonously, without looking back, "Gotta piss."  
  
As the automatic door slammed to a close behind him, Rufus sighed and placed his thumb and index finger to his forehead and rubbed his temple, massaging his self-induced headache with his eyes closed. He opened his eyes.  
  
"Holy shit!" The blonde man stumbled backwards, a very uncharacteristic movement as the psychotic grin of Yuffie Kisaragi loomed up at him and full of mirth; as he quickly regained his composure, tossing back his hair now back to normal, he glared icily at a giggling Yuffie. "What do you want, brat?" Rufus continued walking to the upper deck (noticeably NOT a toilet) with a tiny limp in his step, doing his best to ignore the ninja prancing after him with an evil look. Exasperated, he whirled around. "Go away."  
  
"Somethin' the MATTER, Shinra?" She grinned at him with purple-gray eyes, flashing an annoying peace sign and winking. "What's the matter? Ate something moldy? Got hit by a car? Or..." A suggestive glint flickered in her eyes, but her tone held no accusation of the sort; instead, they wielded a sense of mirth that cut at his pride. "...GIRL TROUBLE?!" she screamed, flinging her arms into the air.  
  
"No."  
  
"Well, that was fast." Yuffie folded her arms, laughing softly underneath her breath. "You know, your eyes kinda creep me out. But back to the subject at hand; the first stage is ALWAYS DENIAL!" she announced triumphantly, shoulders trembling with restrained amusement.  
  
"Excuse my language, but if you will, fuck off." She stared at him in mutinous silence, raising a brow as if she couldn't believe and/or didn't listen to what he had said. "What does it take?" he inquired further under the futile hope she would go away. Yuffie rolled her clouded eyes, all but sticking her tongue out at Rufus.   
  
"'Fraid you aren't getting rid of me for now, Shinra," Yuffie chirped airily, beaming heartily at Rufus with a cheerful, exhuberant face and inwardly chuckling as he visibly cringed at the thought. "I can see...TROUBLE in your eyes! You're DISTURBED! BOTHERED! Perturbed, one might say." The ninja nodded wisely, as if saying the word "perturbed" was deserving of some enormous award... If her word was to be trusted deeply in perhaps an alternate universe, then she was correct; his somewhat deep blue eyes reflecting a few shades lighter then navy often rarely portrayed emotion other then monotony.   
  
Was he changing?  
  
Rufus cringed again; this time, Yuffie raised a brow, unable to see the cause of this sudden shudder. If she was able to read emotions correctly--how much her judgement was to be trusted, she didn't know much herself--then her guesses--were--correct!  
  
"I KNEW IT!" she screamed. Then, she took a few deep, shuddering breaths. She looked up at Rufus with the same psychotic grin she had greeted him with. "Well? Sooo? What is it? Hmm? You can tell me! I won't tell anyone...uh...yeah, anyone!" She did a salute with two fingers. "Secret-telling will be kept to a strict minimum!" Rufus rolled his eyes at this, then cleared his throat loudly.  
  
"First of all, there is nothing to tell." He ran a hand through his hair. "Second of all, let's face it: I don't trust you."   
  
"How 'bout Tifa?" she pressed on, obviously ignoring both "facts" he stated. "Hmm? C'mon, spill!"  
  
"Are you always this annoying?"  
  
"Yes. And if you don't answer me, I will personally knock you silly and force you in a dazed state to speak up. And it will be PAINFUL." Yuffie grinned, and Rufus could've sworn he saw horns pop out of her head. Maybe he'd've had too much to drink...or he was hallucinating... But he snapped back to reality as Yuffie threateningly stroked her Conformer. Rufus sighed heavily, eyes narrowed in spite.  
  
"If there was something to tell, Ms. Kisaragi, I'm sure that the lucky person who gets to listen wouldn't be you." he said swiftly and icily, without skipping a beat.  
  
"How 'bout Turks? Cid? Vinnie? Nanaki? Reeve? Am I missing anyone?" Yuffie asked, poking Rufus in the ribs with each suggestion.   
  
"No one." he finished bitterly. "To be honest, I'm not too concerned about anyone understanding anything. They can gawk at me stupidly for all the shits I give." Rufus's brow lowered into a slight sneer, but his tone was passive and nonchalant--with a "speech" like that, you'd think someone was freaking out somewhere. "Get out of my sight." He placed his hands in his pockets and walked past her, making his way onto the upper deck; each step he took made little difference to him, and he pondered his next course of action.  
  
Cid walked out of the main deck, chewing on his cigarette.  
  
"How'd it go, brat?" he inquired in a gruff, scratchy voice; he proceeded to tap some random buttons with his knuckles.   
  
"'They can gawk at me, nyah nyeh nyeh, shits I give,'" Yuffie imitated his voice, making hand gestures and strange facial expressions as she spoke. "In other words, old man, it sucked. No, it didn't just suck. It sucked AND blew." She folded her arms again, furrowing a brow in thought. "This sucks! I can't get through to ANYONE!" she exclaimed. Cid rolled his eyes, muttering, "@&(@, I wonder why." Yuffie closed her fist and lifted her middle finger at him, making an insulting face; he chuckled lightheartedly.  
  
"Well @&(@ you too, kid." Cid chuckled, fiddling with a wrench, then turning back to the open panel and began examining it with expert eyes. He turned his head slightly towards Yuffie. "If I were you, I wouldn't be @^@*in' meddlin' in other peoples' affairs. Mind your own @^(!in' buisness, kid. Won't do shit for you if you keep this up."  
  
"But I'm NOSY!" Yuffie wailed. Cid rolled his eyes.  
  
"Don't do anything too @*(!in' stupid."  
  
"That's impossible, old man." she whined, stomping her foot imperiously.  
  
"So don't do anything at all. It's not that @($#in' hard." Cid raised a brow, turning his head slightly so Yuffie could see the look he was giving her. Yuffie stuck out her tongue at the pilot with a loud "nyeh" sound. "Not everything has a @^(#in' happy ending."  
  
"But I'm gonna try and make it that way, pops!" she persisted, folding her arms with a face of fixed determination. "I'm gonna do it, and there is DIDDLY SQUAT you can do to stop me!"  
  
"Except skewer you on my spear and feed you to hungry animals." he mumbled under his breath, a puff of cigarette smoke clouding the panel before him.  
  
"I HEARD THAT!" Yuffie screamed, hurling a Fire Materia at the back of his head. "LIKE HELL I'M GOING TO BE FED TO ANIMALS, YOU EVIL OLD MAN!"  
  
"@&($!" Cid yelped as the Materia hit the floor with a loud clink, rubbing the short indent on the back of his head and sneering. "It was a JOKE, stupid kid! A JOKE! @^(@!"  
  
"...It WASN'T FUNNY!" she screamed in reply. "Ugly old man... I can do this by myself..."  
  
"Hey, I looked pretty #*@* good when I was young," he remarked defiantly.  
  
"Really? How many centuries ago was that?" Yuffie asked, raising a brow.  
  
Yuffie ran from the angry wrath of Cid's Venus Gospel.  
  
"IT WAS A JOOOKE!" 


	16. Unwanted, Unneeded, GoodBye

A/N: Whee! The first update in.. A while. o_O Hoorah! YAY! Hi everyone. o_o; Am I the only one who thinks Reno's voice actor would be David Lucas (Spike Spiegel [Cowboy Bebop], Roger Smith [Big O], Shizuma Kusanagi [Real Bout High School])? o___o it came to mind a while ago.   
  
Disclaimer: And the bacon ran into Daisaku's house and stole FF7, giving it back to its rightful owner...BUT THE BACON WAS EATEN! NOOOoo  
  
---  
  
"C'mon, 'Laney. Give it up."  
  
A red-haired Turk and a blonde one sat at the table in the Operations, arms crossed and fists clasped together, shaking with force; Yuffie was chanting and jeering for Elena, doing a short dance around the room and throwing dirty looks at Reno. A cool, controlled zeal dominated the short atmosphere in the arm-wrestling, though 'Lena's was slightly less obvious, frowning slightly in concentration. It seemed nearly impossible to beat the passive Reno at a game like this--if equal in strength, it all comes down to who has the most patience. Compared to Elena, Reno has it in spades.  
  
Elena glared at Reno, who smirked calmly and, much to Elena's disdain, flipped the small tail he constructed out of his hair over his shoulder. How could she even the odds in her favor?... heh heh heh. In mock surprise, she shot her head up yet still trying to maintain a firm grip.  
  
"OH MY GOD! IS THAT--TIFA NAKED!?" she shrieked. Immediately, Reno's head shot up; Tifa, who was half-asleep at her chair, suddenly sprung up in alarm.  
  
"WHAT!? WHERE!?" Reno craned his head around for a look--and in this short moment in which his guard was down, Elena slammed his hand onto the table; Tifa sweat dropped and laid her head on the table (rather disgruntled). "Oh...Oh, oops. Sorry Lockheart--and as for YOU!" he yelled accusingly at Elena, wriggling his hand out of her grasp. "That was a cheap trick, harpy! Damnit!" He flailed his arms somewhat, and upon seeing Elena's uncaring reaction, slowly came to a stop, then his hands dropped uselessly at his sides. "Damnit. That was mean." He sniffled.  
  
"I-I'm sorry, did I hurt your feelings?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good."  
  
Reno sniffled again, then leaned forward to rest his chin on the table, occasionally glaring at her; she shook her hand a little, her muscles a little worn from the struggle. Tifa took this moment to jut her elbow into Elena's ribcage, and the Turk chuckled nervously and shrugged. Thus resumed another moment of silence--lately, Tifa had taken to a bit of a friendship with the Turks, but most "meetings" were basically uneventful. Reno fiddled with the tail and then looked up.  
  
"I'm bored. 'Lena, entertain me."  
  
"Excuse me!?" Elena shot him another menacing glare, one that clearly stated that some type of appendage of his would be torn off sooner or later. Reno raised a brow at her in the gap between short, pointed strands that fell over his eyes. He shrugged and bent his head further down, staring at the table with crossed eyes.  
  
"'Lena, you're no fun." he half-wailed, though his voice was muffled by his head's position on the table. "Why did you have to go off and gain confidence?" Immediatly, he felt a hand on the back of his head shove his forehead directly into the tabletop with a loud bang. "OW! Son of a bitch..." he grumbled, lifting his head to rub his temple. Yuffie snickered and batted him slightly with her hand. "Ow. Again. Why do girls find it funny when they hit a guy and it actually hurts, but when a guy hits a girl it's domestic abuse?"  
  
"Feminine rights." Yuffie declared.  
  
"So you're saying women are actually weaker and/or less tolerable of pain then men." Reno encouraged, making hand gestures to get his point across. Yuffie looked down at him and shook her head. "Okay then." Reno looked thoughtful for a moment, then grinned, creating a peace sign with his fingers. "Masculine rights!" the Turk yelled, flailing his arms.  
  
"Masculine rights?" Tifa mumbled from her monotonous state, her eyes shifting up to meet Reno's. He shrugged and grabbed a sheet of paper from Rude's notepad and his marker, writing "masculine rights" on it. He waved it around, specifically in Yuffie and Elena's direction and trying to grasp any attention to his...erm, movement. "The...wait...masculine rights?" she repeated incredulously.  
  
"Anyone got a popsicle stick? I could make this one of those signs they have in protests and stuff." Reno went on, examining his "sign" carefully and darkening in the letters with his marker. He felt another hand make impact with the back of his head, and he rubbed his cranium and glared up at the offender, Yuffie, whose eyes were raised quite possibly to the ceiling. "Now, that was uncalled for." The Turk poked her sharply in her stomach.  
  
"Oww." Yuffie whined, clutching her stomach. Immediatly, Barret came barging in, almost automatically and raised his fist threateningly at Reno. "He's picking on me!" Yuffie pointed at the redhead accusingly.  
  
"Now what in the blue hell are you talking about, woman?" Reno yelled, flailing his arms in self-defense and slowly edging away from Barret. "I did NOTHING, Mr. T. I simply poked her in the stomach. Now if you would...uh, be so kind so as to back off...please?" Barret looked as if he was about to say something, but reluctantly glanced at Tifa, who shook her head. Acknowledging this, the large AVALANCHE member slumped slightly as if he was just itching to kick the ass of a Turk, and walked out, muttering swears. "Well...that was close. Damn brat."   
  
"I couldn't resist." Yuffie chuckled. After another moments' silence in which Reno chose to eat the small, thin paper on which he had written about "masculine rights," Elena stopped doodling mindlessly on the table with her finger to look up at Tifa, who was in a dazed state--something different from being bored, rather focused...on what, who knows?  
  
"You okay?" she asked slowly, raising a brow. Tifa didn't move for a second, then leapt up to glance at Elena. "Uh...that was delayed."  
  
//I'm okay.//  
  
"I'm okay."  
  
-Really?-  
  
"Yeah." Unfortunately, Turk or Ninja alike couldn't place why she had said that "yeah". It was probably nothing, and was dropped. Thus resumed another silence.  
  
---  
  
Should have been dead  
  
On a Sunday morning  
  
Banging my head  
  
No time for mourning  
  
Ain't got no time  
  
Rufus glared icily at the ground beneath the Highwind, as if the Planet would shake on a whim, and then he frowned slightly as it didn't. He glanced at the bottle in his hand, and at the ground below, upon recognition that the Highwind guy parked near Rocket Town to visit Shera; he backed away from the rail, still staring at the bustling town in the distance, and in one swift motion hurled the bottle in the town's direction. Obviously, it didn't make it very far, but it didn't matter to him. Not a lot of things mattered to him anymore.  
  
-How do you feel?-  
  
(And I said oh) So I held my head up high  
  
Hiding hate that burns inside  
  
Which only fuels their selfish pride  
  
(And I said oh) We're all held captive  
  
Out from the sun  
  
A sun that shines on only some  
  
We the meek are all in one  
  
Rufus walked back towards the rail, sticking his hands in his pockets and closing his fists for a lack of anything else to do. //Peachy.// he responded. The original Rufus would've sworn violently at the...voice...or take a couple of pills until he thought he wasn't hallucinating anymore. But like I said before, not a lot of things mattered to him.   
  
Because he was changing. And he hated it with every fiber of his--former--being.   
  
Former? What's the difference between then and now? he asked himself bitterly, staring at a broken bottle a little ways away from the airship. He sneered slightly and breathed heavily.  
  
-Hmm...how 'bout miss Lockheart?-  
  
//What're you, Cupid or some shit like that?// he snapped mentally, thrusting his hand to the side where his knuckles subconsciously cracked. He looked kind of strange, like he was getting pissed at empty air. //I don't believe in that kind of flowers and sunshine crap. Sorry.// The "sorry" was added somewhat boldly, more threatening then..."apologizing". He kicked at the rail, creating a resonating twang and a dent in the frames. He stuck his hands back in his pockets. //I don't believe in it, don't care for it, don't want it, don't need it. And I get by.//   
  
-Tsk. I hope you know normal guys are all smiles when they find out a girl likes them.-  
  
//If it makes you happy, then I'm not normal. Piss off.// Rufus "said" testily, his hands twisting in his pockets. For a little less then a second he contemplated shooting off his goddamn ear Van Gogh style, just to get the...voice...to shut up. He rolled his eyes. That'd be ridiculous.  
  
-I know.-  
  
Rufus awaited five or so more minutes, but heard no mental reply; he let out a relieved sigh and eyed the rail closely, then walked towards it and leaned against it again, staring off into the horizon. Suddenly, rhythmic thumping sounds approached from the stairs; Rufus glanced backwards slightly to stare at the offender of his peace. Barret loomed over him, even from a distance, sending him dagger-shooting glares--why, if you didn't know any better, you'd think Barret was gonna traipse merrily over to Rufus and strangle him, or possibly shoot him multiple times.  
  
"Shinra!" Barret shouted, his voice lined with loathing and flaming hatred. "We goin' to Rocket Town, ter visit Mrs. Highwind! Don't do nothin' stupid!" he yelled commandingly. Rufus let out a very audible, disdainful sigh. Then he turned around slowly and folded his arms.  
  
"No invitation, Mr. Wallace?" Rufus inquired, the question polite but the tone venomous. "I'd think that--"  
  
"!%**! Don't go thinkin' you better then anyone else just coz' you was Shinra! You ain't Shinra no more--just some @%*@ ^@%*@."  
  
"Au contraire. I believe the fact that I'm not...allowed...to come along on this lovely family vacation simply proves that you don't consider me an equal." Rufus stated simply, running a hand through his hair.  
  
"!@#&*--damn righ' I don't! You ain't president no more, but you still ain't nothin' but a stuck-up piece of @%*$." Barret continued, then glared to the side and folded his massive arms; his teeth gnashed together, which most would consider a danger sign--but Rufus simply didn't give a damn. "Donno why the @%*( you stay here, either! Tifa's fine now! Go home or somethin'! #$&*--" Barret waved his arms as a "go away" gesture, and Rufus simply stared at him, his face a total desert--calm, desolate, void of emotion...not caring. "You better not @$&* around with Tifa, foo'. Bust yo ass..."  
  
"Ooh. I quiver with fear." came a dispassionate response. No love. No care. No fear. Rufus knew all of this, and it was something he could recognize.  
  
A large vein began to pulsate in Barret's forehead, and he looked like a pissed bull about to charge at some poor matador--but instead, he swore loudly and stomped back down. Rufus watched him go. Barret's reaction gave Rufus a small sense of sadistic pleasure, and in this way, today, he felt more like his old self. But was that really a good thing, now that he'd thought about it? And what of his "new self"? The old self, that had prompted him to stay still in the office that night of Diamon WEAPON's attack, not really giving a damn... That was today. Not caring. It felt more familiar to Rufus, but he began to doubt just a little.  
  
-I am disgusted with your attitude.-  
  
Rufus's fingers traced lightly the handle of his shotgun, and he stared off into the horizon again.  
  
Maybe Barret was right. Rufus certainly wasn't a part of Shin-Ra anymore, and like hell he was particular to AVALANCHE. He had no attachment here now. Rufus glanced toward the rope at the side of the airship and walked towards it. He grabbed it and slowly let himself down, sliding his fists off the rope and lowering himself to the ground. Rocket Town was to the east, and that being so, he would go west.  
  
I cry out to God  
  
Seeking only his decision  
  
Gabriel stands and confirms  
  
I've created my own prison  
  
I cry out to God  
  
Seeking only his decision  
  
Gabriel stands and confirms  
  
I've created my own prison  
  
He placed the shotgun onto his shoulder and began walking off, in the direction the sun would be setting approximately 3-some hours from then. He craned his head around slightly, back to the Highwind, and gave a short nod, a tiny farewell. He felt something that had once died grow and flourish, but in that moment, in that argument with Barret and the voice in his head, it wilted and fell once more. It was... Too bad.  
  
He was better off alone. 


	17. Emotionally Immortal

A/N: O___o fweem. no witty comment at this time! I'm sure you miss them. Yes. o__o; but it is late, and I am sleepy.. btw, as you might be able to tell, this story only focuses on one or two couples. I'll make some epic soon, I guess, but the main point here is.. Rufus/Tifa! YOU ALL SAW IT COMING, ADMIT IT O_O  
  
90 reviews.. You guys are awesome o_o  
  
Disclaimer: FF7 not Daisaku's...o_o...also, the song from Creed in the last chapter is also not Daisaku's! X_x damn my short-term memory. also, Evanescence's Exodus isn't nice to me either  
  
---  
  
-Well, you're alone again. That's what you wanted, isn't it? Selfish. Typical.-  
  
My black backpack's stuffed with broken dreams  
  
20 bucks should get me through the week  
  
Never said a word of discontentment  
  
Fought it a thousand times but now  
  
I'm leaving home  
  
The shimmering, prism-like Mako fountain appeared to gently reflect the steel in Rufus's eyes, creating a bit of an eerie glow. It was a somewhat rusted smell, like the scent of your hand after you've held a nickle or something for too long--well, alright, a little crisper then that, and it didn't quite bother him. That smell used to float about the walls and air conditioning of the Shin-Ra building, circulating unknowingly into the lungs of even a desk worker...and it never bothered Rufus anyway. Familiarity.  
  
The blonde man was stationed near Mt. Nibel's resident Mako Fountain, where neon pools of spirit energy scrambled lightly into a rather large pond of the stuff. Nearby, flowers and even trees were all in full bloom in the area where sunlight couldn't reach... Rufus rolled his eyes.  
  
The life, the colors...was intoxicating.   
  
Not in the good way, either. To Rufus Shinra, it felt like all the carnations and roses that flourished around the small pond, in full bloom had been stuffed violently in his nose and ears. He rested his head on his fist, sitting in a cross-legged position with his elbow propped onto his knee. There was nothing much here for Rufus: small beams of sunlight spangled down onto the crystalline Mako formations, prompting multicolored beams to shoot out from the sides and filter onto the damp cave walls; the bubbling Mako coursed through the ground as a near replacement for water in a river; and it was cold and wet.  
  
Rufus shifted slightly in his position, quite hoping to be inanimate for at least an hour or two to work out the ache in his muscles from walking up Mt. Nibel. For a few seconds, he wondered why'd he left in the first place.  
  
Rufus was no longer part of Shin-Ra, yet only by name he felt any attachment to dealings of the past, nor was he ever with AVALANCHE. He didn't have much of a place, and being Shinra, it would never be possible for the man thought dead to try and lead a normal life from here on out. The ex-president had no place.  
  
Or maybe he had a place, and he was just the only one in it.  
  
Here in the shadows   
  
I'm safe  
  
I'm free   
  
I've nowhere else to go but  
  
I cannot stay where I don't belong  
  
The sunlight shifted slightly to the left, causing the shafts of light that bounded off the Mako crystals to move ever so slightly. Rufus bent one knee and let the other relax, folding his arms and closing his eyes in an attempt to sleep. He was drifting somewhere between sleep and consciousness, but then something in his mind seemed to disturb him--one factor he hadn't mentioned in his...place. Tifa. What about Tifa? Rufus twitched slightly in his state of sleep. No big deal. He was pretty damn sure she could handle it.  
  
-Now that's just cold.-  
  
//Which means I'm back to normal.// finished Rufus, a small, triumphant look flickering slightly on his face and not really caring whether or not the voice could see him. He opened one eye and glanced at a bug skittering across the tattered surface of his longer coat.  
  
-Is the concept of emotion really so alien to you?-  
  
//And just who the hell are you, anyway?// Rufus inquired innocently, and yet quite curious as to who/what was acting like his damn mother in his brain. Unfortunately, the ex-president recieved no response except for something hollow, like resonating laughter from a demon. Rufus frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled yet not really surprised by the lack of answers. He chuckled silently, sardonically to himself: he really was going insane.  
  
The ray of sun that shimmered through the holes on the ceiling of the cave flickered.  
  
Rufus possessed several interesting traits--the art of quick draw was one of them; and in the short moments before the spark reappeared to add the small amount of heat in the room, Rufus leapt to his feet (working out the kinks in his knees and ankles) and pulled his shotgun from his pocket, aiming defiantly at the entrance to the fountain, where the cavern eventually took you to Nibelheim. All in all, this took Rufus about two or three seconds.  
  
A small rumble shook the delicate soil of Mt. Nibel, and the snout of your average Dragon snuck in. It was difficult for it to go unnoticed--with its heavy breathing, Rufus could've shot it in the dark... He smirked, shifting his fingers. The gun was empty. He propped it lazily on his shoulder as a large claw came into his line of sight, and a roar rumbled the very walls.  
  
-Nice going, genius. What's the use of drawing your gun all flashy if the DAMN THING'S EMPTY!?-  
  
//...Well, it's more fun this way.//  
  
Two months pass by and it's getting cold  
  
I know I'm not lost   
  
I am just alone  
  
But I won't cry  
  
I won't give up  
  
I can't go back now  
  
Waking up is knowing who you really are  
  
---  
  
"Hey, Shera." The door glided open on well-oiled hinges to reveal the one and only Cid Highwind, and he walked in and plopped himself in a chair as if he had never left. "I need some $&@*in' tea." After a moment of silence, he looked up at the brunette repairer that was his wife, clad in a white, somewhat grungy shirt, and a light blue jacket with matching pants (the pants, noticeably, with one leg hacked off), to note that she was gaping at him, open-mouthed. "What? Did I stutter?"  
  
Shera set down the large wrench she carried in oversized gloves, whirled around on her heel and threw her arms around the captain's neck.  
  
"Where have you BEEN--left only a NOTE--worried SICK--YOU--YOU--" Shera banged her fist on the Captain's shoulders, her other thin arm wrapped around his broad figure. Cid chuckled nervously as she pulled away, then reached into her back pocket and pulled out a card.  
  
Out lookin' for Tifa. Cloud said she's missing.   
  
Took the Highwind with me. Hope you don't mind.  
  
Love ya lots.  
  
--Cid   
  
"Explain THIS, 'captain'." Shera glared at him menacingly, almost towering above the sitting Cid with flashing eyes. Cid sweat dropped anxiously, scratching the back of his head. "Imagine, waking up in the morning and there's a CARD SITTING ON THE OTHER PILLOW!? DO YOU KNOW HOW I FELT!?" She spun around, clasping her hands together in front of her. "Sniff..."  
  
"Ah, crap. Sorry Sher. Cloud called early." Cid stammered for an excuse, scratching his head and slowing getting out of his seat. "Crap, fuck, damn. Are you okay? I didn't...uh...Shera?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Do that again, and I WILL PERSONALLY ENSURE YOU NEVER LEAVE THIS HOUSE, CID HIGHWIND!!!!!"   
  
Cid winced as the shrill scream pierced his ears, making small patterns on the floor with the toe of his boot. "Alright, alright." At the window, he took note of Reno, Yuffie, Barret, and Reeve snickering; he raised his fist and middle finger at the small group gathered there, making a short gesture to the Venus Gospel pinned to his back, specifically the pointy end. They vanished from sight, only for the door to slam open once more.  
  
"Heeey Shera!" Yuffie greeted, giving Cid's wife a short hug and a grin; Shera smiled and began working at the stove again over a few cups and a kettle. "Uh, I think you know all of us, 'cept for Reno. He's stupid. Pretend he's not here." Reno's eyebrows tilted downward disdainfully at this remark, and he balled his fist and lightly bonked Yuffie over the head. "Ow! Stupid! Don't hit me!" she screamed. Barret whacked Reno with his...gun-arm. Reno promptly fell to the floor. "Ha ha!"  
  
"Owww!" Reno whined, holding his skull in his hands and rocking back and forth on the tile. "That was uncalled for, Mr. T! You could've at least used your WORKING hand!" Reeve scratched the back of his head as Barret did a small "hmph" sound with his throat, and Yuffie snorted.  
  
"Ahem. Hello Mrs. Highwind, I believe I met you when the space program was working on the rocket?" Reeve, always a cool guy and gentleman, picked up Shera's hand and kissed it.  
  
"Woah, woah, watch it pal." Cid pointed out sharply, prompting a short chuckle from Reeve. "Anyway, Shera, I just gotta take these @%*@s home and then I'll be home and everything will be hunky dory." He jabbed a finger towards the small group that had collected themselves in his house, as well as out the window--where, presumably, the rest of the Turks and AVALANCHE were hanging out or something or other. The door opened once more to reveal Tifa, and she walked to Barret.  
  
"Hi Shera--how're you--listen, I need to talk to Barret for a second, sorry--" Tifa made a short, curt gesture to Barret and walked out of the house; Barret glanced around and shrugged, walking after her. Tifa stomped over to some corner near where the rocket had been launched, rather distant from the remainder of the bustling town, then abruptly whirled around. "Barret," she said stiffly, "be straightforward with me; did you tell Rufus to 'fuck off'?"  
  
"I didn't say THAT. I said that I didn't @%*(in' like him and he shouldn't...er, be here."  
  
"That's not much better, Barret." Tifa's otherwise cherubic expression turned scornful and...well, pissed. "Barret, even if Rufus isn't part of AVALANCHE it shouldn't be a problem if he hangs around, okay!?"  
  
Here in the shadows   
  
I'm safe  
  
I'm free   
  
I've nowhere else to go but  
  
I cannot stay where I don't belong  
  
"Damn right he ain't gonna be part of AVALANCHE! He's Shinra! The @$^*# we've been fighting AGAINST, r'member!?"  
  
"Barret, the whole crisis is OVER, okay? Shin-Ra is Reeve's now, and Rufus is part of it only by name." Tifa hissed, prodding him sharply in the chest with her finger. Barret flinched slightly at her somewhat seething expression, then scratched the back of his head. "So you GO BACK to the Highwind and apologize. Got it!?"  
  
Barret sighed and shifted slightly.  
  
"...A'ight...jus' don't want nothin' to do with him, ya know?" He shrugged and stalked off in the direction of the town exit, and the Highwind. Tifa sank down and onto the ground, fingering a piece of grass and hugging her knees to her chest in deep thought.  
  
Here in the shadows   
  
I'm safe  
  
I'm free   
  
I've nowhere else to go but  
  
I cannot stay where I don't belong  
  
Too bad Rufus would already be gone when he gets there.  
  
Show me the shadow where true meaning lies  
  
So much more is made in empty eyes 


	18. A Show of Power

A/N: I KNOW THERE WAS NO DEVELOPMENT IN THE LAST CHAPTER. O_O; DON'T KILL ME. AAHH *is mobbed by angry readers* X_O anyways, I've started up another fic. It started off kind of strange, but whatever.. Read it if you want, I guess.. who cares o_O  
  
sappy moment there. Yes, in this chapter! O_O; AHHH *Is thrown out a window, shot, and run over by a taxi* ^_ itai  
  
Disclaimer: NOT MINE X.o  
  
---  
  
"What...do you mean, HE'S GONE?"  
  
Tifa's tone of voice was low, shaking, and rather dangerous as Barret fidgeted under her icy crimson glare; her eyebrow twitched, and Reno glanced out the window of the Highwind residence. All was not well.  
  
"He can't be gone! Why did he leave? Did you make him leave? You kicked him off?"  
  
I brushed against those freckles that I hated so,  
  
Life goes on and I heave a little sigh for you.  
  
Barret shook his head in his own defense, his shoulders hunched slightly as Tifa clutched her head with her hand, as if having a pounding headache. "Left without a damn trace. Took the rope down, though..." he mumbled. Tifa clutched her head, shaking it as if hoping to awaken from a bad dream as Reno made a short gesture outside; the door to Cid's house opened, and Reno, Yuffie, Reeve, Cid, and Shera crept out, watching from a safe distance.  
  
"Why, why, WHY? Did you say something to him?" Tifa persisted, glancing up at Barret in the gap between her fingers. Barret was quiet for a moment, but something else answered.  
  
It's heavy, the love that I would share for you,  
  
But it dissolves like it was just a sugarcube.  
  
-He didn't belong, so he left.-  
  
Tifa blinked as these words flickered in her ears, glancing upward as they created a haunting echo. Could anyone else...anyone else at all hear this? A voice, hauntingly familiar... She glanced around, and noticed Reno's aquamarine gaze looking around. Why could he hear it, too?  
  
"Alright," Reno began, raising his middle finger to some unknown spot three feet ahead of him, "who the FUCK is that?" Yuffie, Reeve, and Shera stared at him quizzically, or as if he was insane; he glared back, eyes almost reflective of the sunlight. "Did no one else hear that, or am I just going bonkers from hanging with Elena for too long?"  
  
Elena glared, but she and Rude seemed somewhat aware of the presence of 'the Voice'...  
  
"Okay then! Who the FUCK is in my head?" Reno said airily, sticking his hands in his pockets and glancing upward. "If you're God, then I SWEAR Elena made me steal all those goddamn Whoppers from BK last year. Spare me from thine wrath, O holy one?" He rolled his eyes.  
  
-Aren't we cocky.-  
  
Elena's chocolate gaze became transfixed monotonously at some place ahead of her, and Rude's gaze shifted down at her, but he said nothing; instead, he watched Reno swear out the 'Voice'. Ghostlike chuckles filled the air in the ears of Reno, Rude, and Tifa, and they each seemed partially disturbed. Well, alright, not JUST partially. Very disturbed.  
  
-Tum de dum. I can get through to a lot of people due to the circumstances, you know. Watch closely.-  
  
There was a glimmer in Elena's eyes until the sparkle that was usually there vanished, and replaced by a dull emptiness; the blonde Turk slowly drew out her gun, and in one fluid motion, aimed it at Reno with a shaking hand. The echoing, cadaverous laugh returns to their ears, and those without knowledge of experience of the Voice stared in shock and amazement as Elena pointed the gun at her comrade.  
  
"'Laney?" Reno raised an auburn brow vaguely, his hands still in his pockets. "What...in seven hells are you doing?"  
  
-Tsk. This one's feeling a bit underappreciated. Would this be your doing, Turk?-  
  
Now the little pain sitting in my heart  
  
Has shrunk in a bit, but it really does hurt me now.  
  
Those silly horoscopes, I  
  
Guess I can't trust them after all.  
  
Reno turned to face Elena, whose face was like a desert: blank and devoid of emotion. Reno of the Turks, who destroyed the Sector 7 slums with little regard or remorse, who had probably screwed around 60% of the women in Midgar, and was probably one of the best assassins out there, had no idea what to do. He had never been faced with this situation. Not once in his career as a Turk had betrayal, willing or not, crossed his mind. And for once in a long time, Reno was freaked out.  
  
"...Christ, what the FUCK did you do to Elena?" Reno whispered hoarsely, and a slight snickering rang in his ears, followed by laughter. The voice--the sound, the tone, it seemed familiar. It was on the tip of everyone's tongue, but no one could quite spot who or what it was... "Whatever you did, knock it off, goddamnit..."  
  
-I don't think you're in any position to be handing out orders.-  
  
Elena's other hand, however, shakingly rose and pressed down on her elbow, sweat forming on a twitchy brow as she attempted to resist this sort of spell or possession. Instead, as if lifted by invisible cables, the arm wielding the gun moved to her own forehead.  
  
Her cinnamon-tinged eyes widened in terror as her fingers twitched daringly, ever so slightly, against her will; her teeth gritted in horror, and yet her eyebrows were furrowed as if trying to fight it off herself. AVALANCHE looked panic-stricken, yet Reno and Rude had a look unmistakably foreign to Turks: alarm.  
  
-See how easy it would be for me to have her pull the trigger? Don't be hasty, now. This could happen to you...well, some of you. The others...just get lucky to see them die.-  
  
Reno looked as if he was about to say something, but Rude gave him a knowing stare as if silently communicating to him with his...eye...brows. Reno stared back at him as if the bald Turk was insane, but nodded slowly; his cool demeanor was pulled back on as he stuck his hands back in his pockets and gazed at the Elena, the blonde Turk who looked (if you were there, but didn't necessarily know what was going on) like she was going to blow her brains out.  
  
-Feeling lucky, Turk?-  
  
Reno was silent for a moment.  
  
"As lucky as ever." The red-haired Turk ran a hand through his lightly spiked hair, then began to walk towards Elena in a sluggish pace; her hand with the gun at her forehead began to shake with her own force she had applied, trying to pull it away to no avail. Reno came within short distance of Elena, and she glanced up at him, her eyes still rounded with fear, and he extended one hand to grasp the pale, slender one holding the gun. He smirked slightly, though trying to wrench it away with unseen force; when he discovered it wouldn't budge, he glanced back up at Rude, whose hand was in his own pocket. Reno shifted his sea-green gaze to the sky, then he lowered himself to her ear. "Don't worry 'bout it."  
  
His whisper of reassurance was quiet and unwavering; Elena nodded slowly, her eyes somewhat calmer then they were four or so seconds ago. Reno continued to clutch the palm with the gun, and he leaned backwards again to throw a quick glance to Rude.  
  
Rude nodded, and his hand retracted from his pocket; in one smooth motion, he drew a Lariat and shot with expertise at the Silver Rifle in Elena's palm. Elena gave a small shriek of panic as the gun flew out of her hand and onto the dirt, falling with a tiny thump.  
  
-And the extent of the bonds of Turks never waver...ah, nothing changes over the years.-  
  
If we could get further away,  
  
I wonder what it would be like... ?  
  
Yay!  
  
I'd be so happy  
  
Inside my heart.  
  
The voice faded from mind, and there was a short silence. Reno glanced at the back of his hand, and he looked at Rude with a small grin.  
  
"Rude, your aim was off." He held up one palm, where a bleeding streak crossed it in a diagonal formation, dripping slightly onto the ground. Rude shrugged, pocketing the gun and walking towards a shaken Elena and a Reno who was able to pretend it hadn't happened. Elena clutched her hand with a slight whimper where a cut mirroring Reno's was smeared across her palm, but looked up at fellow Turks with an expression of gratitude.  
  
"Th-thank you..guys..." Elena stammered, prodding the bleeding hand slightly with her fingers and looking up at them. She sniffled slightly, glancing backwards at the gun behind her on the dirt; a lanky arm wrapped around her middle, and she glanced up at Reno.  
  
"Ah, anything for 'Laney." The redheaded Turk grinned and ruffled her blonde hair; she beamed at him, tightly hugging his skinny middle. She pulled out and glanced at Rude, who remained silent and desolate. Reno turned around, the goggles on his forehead threatening to slide off his hairline, and he grinned at Rude. "Go on, Rude. I won't hold one hug against you. Maybe." Elena cautiously neared the bald, tall Turk with a small, nervous smile--an expression all too familiar.  
  
All the memories I have are beautiful in my mind,  
  
But they don't feed the hunger deep inside my soul.  
  
And tonight I thought,  
  
I'd be just sitting in my sorrow.  
  
Rude sighed, and rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses, silently swearing at Reno; Elena grinned and hugged him as well.  
  
Tifa let out a short sigh of relief, as did the rest; she pressed her hand to her forehead in relief, watching Yuffie race over to Elena. //Who was that?// The voice became a primary concern for her once again, the voice that had performed some kind of enchantment on her friend--and also alerted her to the cause of Rufus's leave.  
  
"Damn, what the fuck was going on?" Cid raised a brow, chewing on his unlit cigarette. "That was some weirdass shit, man, and the Turk over there looked like he was talking to himself."  
  
"A voice." Vincent's cold voice came from above; he was stationed on one of the rails of the platforms that had once been used to station Rocket Town's rocket, balancing his feet on the rounded bars and yet completely still, as if a thin area under his feet at that height wasn't bothering him at all. Typical Vincent. "Only some can hear it, and not others."  
  
"Why not others? What makes them so special?" Yuffie folded her arms imperiously, stomping one foot. Vincent vaulted into the air and landed gracefully, catlike, on his feet on the ground, sinking into a crouch in what I would say was for show, as there seemed to be little impact to absorb.  
  
"Tifa, Reno, Rude, Elena, and...myself." Vincent paused. ".........Anyone else?"  
  
Red XIII scratched his ear with his leg in a very wolfish manner, but stepped into the main of the town square where AVALANCHE and Turk alike stood, once apart but now united for a common yet unseen goal. "It's been troubling me for some time now, but I'm beginning to think not as frequently as Rufus Shinra and the Turks."  
  
Cloud, who had been silently standing without much mention in the whole ordeal, nodded, his arms rather limp at his sides.  
  
"...There is a trait among us that this certain group shares, Yuffie." Vincent said slowly and monotonously, folding his arms and grating the pointed "fingers" of his claw against the thick cloth of his opposite sleeve. His eyebrow tilted slightly in concentration. "...A noteworthy amount are in Shin-Ra, yet Reeve and Cid--more or less associated with the company once or twice--are unaffected."  
  
There was a moment of silence.  
  
"It's the Mako." Rude suddenly spoke up. "...Each person who has heard the 'Voice' has been put in direct contact with Jenova cells and Mako...Tifa being an exception..."  
  
"Tifa was in the Lifestream." Red XIII responded.  
  
"So that would mean the little person in the back of my head just happens to be some alien bitch who was supposed to be dead. Hunky dory." Reno snorted, rolling his eyes and making a short hand gesture to prove his...erm...dislike of the theory. "So Mister Shinra himself got the crap in him, too? I'm not surprised. The old president was one kooky old fart."  
  
"Speaking of presidents, what about Rufus? He's missing, right?" quipped Yuffie. There was a short pause, and Barret nodded slowly. "So go look for 'im. He's probably off rotting in a ditch." She paused. "...Alright, fine! We'll come with you! Happy?"  
  
And now I must wonder wonder why.  
  
What did it really mean to you?  
  
I just can't see it anymore!  
  
I just can't see it anymore......  
  
Tifa nodded slowly.  
  
"Thanks, guys..." 


	19. Calm Before the Storm

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, everyone. I do realize, by the way, that it probably would be nigh impossible to kill a dragon with a single gunshot...well; Vincent could do it, so why not Rufus? Also, I did note that Scarlet wears black Faye-like stockings when I was playing-right before the scene where Diamond WEAPON was all like, "rawr" and tried to kill Rufus. So yeah.   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7...  
  
-  
  
Rufus made a half-leap out of the general direction of a rather large amount of flame soaring towards him, landing in a deep crouch somewhere around his original left. Somehow, the Dragon seemed to just barely miss smashing and mutilating the Mako fountain, and yet seemed to be able to maim just about everything else.  
  
Rufus Shinra wasn't much for hand-to-hand combat, and the lack of a suitable weapon around didn't really help matters. Where had he put those extra clips?  
  
He frowned, sliding stylishly out of the way as a gnarled claw launched about three inches from his left shoulder blade's previous location. Well, he was having a dandy time leaping to and fro trying not to get impaled, but he couldn't do this forever.  
  
A loud roar emitted from the Dragon, making the ground quake slightly. A shotgun shell stumbled out of the pocket of his inner coat.  
  
So that's where that went!  
  
Rufus nudged it slightly with his foot, and then kicked it into the air, allowing it to fly into the empty part of his shotgun with a slight push. Satisfied now, he stood still as the Dragon's long neck curved around. The snout stopped right in front of his face.  
  
And it roared again.  
  
Hair now unkempt now due to the sheer force of the Dragon's snarl, Rufus frowned slightly, raising his gun so the tip was level to the dragon's tongue and pulling the trigger.  
  
With a quick, shrill screech of terror, the dragon reared its head in a display of agony, and then sank back onto the soil, apparently dead. There was a short silence, and Rufus plopped himself down onto the ground, weary. After a short moment or two of rest, he got to his feet and continued walking down the mountain caverns.  
  
-There's something about being alone that makes you yearn for thrill, isn't there?-  
  
Rufus could barely distinguish whether that was a negative comment or not, pocketing his shotgun with a frown and walking testily down the frigid mountain paths. Gone was the refined way he walked back when he was the president-and all things considered, he had a good reason to be pissed, due to the distracting "voice" in the back of his head.  
  
It wasn't too long before his nose was filled with the dreadful scent of Nibelheim's Mako, which had faded considerably since the Meteor crisis-but not much. Rufus Shinra gingerly stepped onto the dimmed ivory brick, glancing around at a town that had been burnt to the ground around eight years ago.  
  
He was quite a sight to behold for a former president: scuffed and tattered coats, scattered with grime and monster guts, bleeding slightly from a small cut positioned on his face. His previous scars remained stained with dried-out blood.  
  
Needless to say, he hadn't bothered to freshen up since his encounters with Tifa and AVALANCHE.  
  
Murmurs and whispers lingered in the air as he walked begrudgingly to the inn. The former president Shinra was in Nibelheim? What was he doing? Why was he so battered?  
  
Rufus rolled his eyes, placing his hand on the wooden door and pushing it aside. He walked unceremoniously to the counter, smacking down a large wad of gil and stomping up to a room. Hushed mutters followed him; uninterested in dealing with people, he carefully lifted his middle finger at them and walked off.  
  
He collapsed resignedly onto the bed with a short sigh, wondering how Strife could deal with constant walking and fighting.  
  
There was a short sound and stumble at his door; he glared over at the sounds, and suddenly a news reporter stumbled in, followed by some freak with a camera.   
  
"Get the hell out of my room." He sneered heatedly at the crew, left eyebrow and sapphire eye twitching violently as if he might leap to his feet and inject them with bullets directly. However, the Channel 7 group ignored the command yet seemed quite intimidated by the threat lingering in his tone. Dejectedly, he sat up, his shoulders aching slightly. "What do you want?"  
  
"Err, sir...we just came for a-an interview...please?" the cameraman pleaded, though you could barely make out the words "please don't kill me" squeaked in an undertone.   
  
"Request declined. I'm not famous anymore. Piss off."  
  
The crew-except for the female reporter, who seemed to smirk with startling audacity-shrunk back slightly with his every word. Rufus made it clear with a short gesture of his hands that he had his gun in his pocket and was ready to blast them all to high hell.  
  
"Oh, c'mon...please, Mr. Shinra?" The femme reporter made a rather impudent approach with a tone that reminded Rufus of Scarlet's feeble attempts to hit on pretty much everyone in the damn building, and the short skirt just topped it all off. She advanced, carefully placing one hand on Rufus's thigh and giving him a...suggestive smirk.  
  
"Maybe you didn't hear me," Rufus grabbed her wrist and carefully placed it between his thumb, index finger, and middle finger, pressing down on the bone long enough for the reporter to realize how easily the president could snap her wrist bones. "Piss. Off."  
  
The woman backed away, looking rather flabbergasted at the fact her attempt didn't work.  
  
"Look, miss, I know I'm an attractive man, but I'm afraid two-cent whores aren't my type." Rufus stated bitterly, propping his head on the back banister of the bed. "Especially considering one shot me several times, I'm feeling a little...bitter."  
  
"So what is your type?" the reporter queried flatly, folding her arms and glowering crossly at the ex-president.  
  
"I don't have one. I'm a soloist." Rufus turned in his bed so his icy gaze was fixed out of the window and into the feeble town-away from the evil news crew. "And I feel so inclined to ask...why aren't you gone from my room?" Silence followed that statement, and the fist visible to the crew clenched slightly, rather irately. "I'll give you four seconds to leave before I reach for my gun."  
  
One.  
  
Two.  
  
The crew scrambled out of the room, eyes widened in fear of the irritated Rufus; he smirked slightly-he still had an imposing figure towards the common people. Without bothering to remove his boots or coats, he fell asleep without much warning.  
  
And he dreamt.  
  
-  
  
"I don't get why we have to look for him." Cloud snorted derisively, yet trying to sound nonchalant as if he was merely stating a point-he was horrible at it. "The guy can take care of himself."  
  
"Would you give it a REST already?" Yuffie barked at Cloud, annoyed by his constant rambling about how little he cared. Why did she have to get stuck with the pokey-headed guy who had the nerve to complain!? They stood on the shore overlooking the southern oceans-directly across from Cosmo Canyon. If Rufus had taken a route through Nibelheim, he would eventually have to cross the long, shallow river between Nibelheim and the Canyon. And they would be there.  
  
"...I'm sorry, Yuffie." Cloud slumped despairingly to the ground, gazing at the canyons where Tifa had been so many weeks and times ago-when she was first missing. "It's just... I don't know. I just don't really..."  
  
"Yeah, whatever." Yuffie mumbled apathetically, folding her arms and staring at the vast ocean that spread before her. She loved the beach if she was there for vacation purposes. "I understand." Yuffie added as an afterthought, deciding to spare the guy a shred of consideration. "Just don't get all whiney on me. Get your act together."  
  
Cloud stared vacantly at a large canyon face and nodded, understanding her meaning and yet still slightly depressed over this turn of events.  
  
She sighed, the saltine breeze uplifting her boyish hair-still imbedded with those damn green highlights Elena had "blessed" them with. A few things remained from the little attempt: she decided to keep the lip-gloss, but not much else.  
  
Ah, the café at Cosmo Canyon was so close-if only she could abandon her post for just a little, just to sneak a drink...  
  
A grenade stumbled down at Cloud's feet, and he blanched slightly. Crap.  
  
He and Yuffie dove to the side, avoiding a short explosion; the ninja sighed with relief, but then stared, mystified for a few moments, by a pair of shoes sitting neatly in front of her face. "What in the..." She glanced up. SOLDIER. A few dozen pairs of feet also shuffled out from there. Surrounded. Double crap.  
  
"Kyahahahaha!"  
  
That incredibly stupid laughter could only come from one person.  
  
"Scarlet! You stupid, ugly old GEEZER-" Yuffie leapt to her feet in one swift motion, shaking her fist imperiously at the SOLDIER surrounding her; her misty eyes narrowed in intense dislike. "What're you and these dense little cronies doing here!?" The two had met only a few times: running into each other during the cancelled execution of Tifa and Barret, and fighting Proud Clod. And she despised the woman instantly.  
  
"Shut up!" barked the woman, her expression curling into a sneer. "I-"  
  
"How did you know we were here!?" Yuffie screamed, cutting off Scarlet abruptly and flailing her arms. "There isn't a SPY or anything, is there!? What're you planning? Why'd you try and steal that Mako storage!?"  
  
"You're in no position to be asking questions, brat!" Scarlet pointed one finger at Yuffie, almost accusingly, a mix between anger and amusement flickering on her sallow expression. Of course, this gesture lost its...purpose...when Yuffie realized what was on her neck. And the ninja started snickering-then giggling-and then finally nearly collapsed with laughter.   
  
"Wow, Tifa almost broke your neck! You look so STUPID!" Yuffie managed between giggles.  
  
Scarlet wore a white Styrofoam neck brace, complete with little rubber attachments.  
  
Immediately, Yuffie had to begin a sort of river dance, having to prance around rapid gunfire at her feet as ordered by Scarlet herself. "God, I hate you." Cloud, however, remained silent with thought. His eyes cautiously moved into Scarlet's green-flecked ones.  
  
"Why are you commanding SOLDIER?" he asked flatly. "Why did you attempt to steal the Mako storage back at the warehouse in Midgar?" Scarlet was quiet for once in her life, pondering whether answering any of his questions was a good idea.  
  
"Because I need it, of course! Kyah...why else?"  
  
The Ultima Weapon was slowly removed from its bonds on Cloud's back, shimmering in all its glory. The spiky-headed swordsman glared frigidly at the SOLDIER around him, ready to cut them down...  
  
"Did you know THE Rufus Shinra is in Nibelheim?" Scarlet put a rather nasty emphasis on "the". Yuffie raised an eyebrow, as did Cloud, who lowered his blade apprehensively with a slight frown. "Just crawled out of some random hole, didn't he? And I thought for sure he would die...kyahah...it's just rotten luck he got out alive." She placed one hand on her waist, her thigh pushing out to reveal metal-braced black stockings. "I know you aren't too fond of the idea, either, Strife! Kyahahahaha!"  
  
Cloud simply snarled in response.  
  
"I'm being generous enough to give you a choice," sneered Scarlet, hand clenching on her hip. "Either you come quietly or I'll be forced to use...kyah...force." Cloud made a movement to shout a rather vehement response, but Yuffie clamped one hand over his mouth and nodded slowly.  
  
"We'll come, you old hag. Just don't shoot." The last three words were spoken in a fake, high-pitched tone that Scarlet obviously made no effort to pay attention to.   
  
"What're you DOING!?" Cloud hissed in an undertone.  
  
"Put away your weapon! We're gonna have to be a little sneaky, okay!? Deal with it!" Yuffie whispered back, tucking her conformer onto her waist; Cloud sighed heavily, knowing there was no argument, and sheathed the Ultima Weapon.  
  
"There you go." Scarlet smirked as two SOLDIERs grasped Yuffie and Cloud by the underarms and dragged them towards a Shin-Ra helicopter, Yuffie struggling and shouting profanities like your traditional unwilling prisoner. Cloud rolled his eyes at her.  
  
"You were the one who suggested this."  
  
"Yeah, well, I still hate it!" 


	20. Symptoms

A/N: I apologize for the delay between updates; I swear they will come faster. School is not the friend of a rushed fan fiction author.  
  
Cloud gets a semi-leading role in this chapter! Hooray!  
  
Second section of this chapter is pretty lame. Won't you bear with me?   
  
The end is in sight! Must…reach! I hope you know I had no intentions of taking this in any certain direction. However, awesomely loyal reviewers and the mass amount of compliments and/or suggestions have inspired me… Thanks much! (As you'll note in earlier chapters, I was ranting about choosing either Vincent/Tifa or Rufus/Tifa or even Cloud/Tifa… This shows how irresponsible I am. Ha! You'll forgive me, won't you?)  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 or any of the characters; the plot is mine, the setting and the characters belong to those dudes who live far, far away. Worship them.  
  
-  
  
"Gawd! Lemme go, lemme go!"  
  
Yuffie squirmed in and out of shackles and restraints, flailing her knees and elbows; hand and foot were chained to some part of the floor or near ceiling, creating a very uncomfortable position for Cloud and the ninja.   
  
However, the ex-SOLDIER remained silent, glaring at her and pleading for her silence.  
  
Renegade SOLDIER stood around two meters apart from each other, wearing an outfit similar to Zack and Cloud's back when they were in the little group. The room was shadowy and murky with a few balconies hovering above, simply giving all the more ways to shoot the two AVALANCHE members. As far as Cloud could tell, two doors remained perched directly in front and behind them.  
  
"Shut up, Yuffie!" Cloud shushed, wrists shaking in chained bonds in an attempt to emphasize his point; she stuck her tongue out at him indignantly.  
  
"No way!" She wriggled around some more in the manacles, vein pulsating in temple. "This is SO uncomfortable, Pokey!" Her voice raised in the familiar yelling state. "DON'T YOU KNOW TO TREAT GUESTS WITH KINDNESS AND HOSPITALITY?"  
  
"You're not guests, brat!" Scarlet's annoying tone of voice resonated through their ears, and the door behind them opened. The clacking of high heels approached slowly, before turning and heading right in front of them.  
  
"Just the person I wanted to see." Yuffie said sarcastically, still writhing her legs around. "If this is one of those creepy movie torture chambers, then I'll have you know a ninja like me is SKILLED in the arts of escaping and kicking butt!" she screamed.  
  
"Yuffie, stuff it," Cloud murmured, hands moving around in the shackles. Yuffie glared at him.  
  
"I suggest you listen to him." Scarlet hissed, her palm raising and bringing it against Yuffie's right cheek. Yuffie swore loudly, raising her head. "I want answers."  
  
"Like hell you're getting any!" Yuffie made a disturbing sound, and then promptly spit in Scarlet's eye. Scarlet howled slightly—which was kind of pathetic, Yuffie noted—and then sneered at the AVALANCHE.  
  
"What kind of answers?" Cloud pressed on curiously, eyes narrowed in an I'm-waiting-to-be-impressed sort of look.   
  
Scarlet grumbled swears and insults directed towards the Shinobi, wiping green-flecked eyes and snarling slightly. But then, she folded her arms, standing a little further away from Yuffie.  
  
"'The Voice'."   
  
In those two words, it was as of the curiosity and fear of Turk and select AVALANCHE had broadened to unthinkable horizons; Cloud's eyes widened, and alarm flashed in the misty-purple depths of Yuffie's eyes. And even Scarlet herself had spoken of it with some kind of apprehension, some trepidation. It was… well, intimidating. Like opening someone's diary and discovering something you didn't need—want—to know.  
  
-Hello.-  
  
This time, even Yuffie could hear it—'it' wanted to make itself known amongst the others. And now it had the gratification to do so.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" Yuffie asked shakily, the question self-assured yet the tone timid; her hands tightened around the chains that held up her shackles, and she noted that the SOLDIER standing around glanced about hesitantly.  
  
-'The Voice'.- A coy tone was all it took to get on Yuffie Kisaragi's nerves, and unnerving audacity took over wavering cowardice. She sneered, but it continued. –I suppose it wouldn't help to tip you in on something, would it? Mako storage in sector 2, warehouse 7 was salvaged after the Shin-Ra building was attacked by Diamond WEAPON.-  
  
A short, unsteady silence followed this remark; none could figure out what exactly it meant, at least for now. Cloud's weathered hands also grasped the chain above the handcuffs, and irritation flickered in sapphire eyes.  
  
"Why are you telling us this?" Yuffie realized for a moment that Cloud indeed got the picture, and yet, he was still wary; she grinned for a moment at Cloud, but the smile was wiped off as the response came.  
  
-Because this is a game. Hide and seek.-  
  
The SOLDIER in the background twitched collectively, and a deadened look took over their determined features. A collective cocking of guns didn't capture Scarlet's attention, and she looked around for the source of the voice…  
  
"Watch out!" Yuffie screamed.  
  
About sixteen collective gunshots rang through the once soundless air, and Yuffie shrieked as several holes appeared in Scarlet's dress and arms. And the blonde fell over. Dead.  
  
-It's beginning to manifest.-  
  
The Voice vanished from audible range, and Yuffie bit her lip, turning her head away from the sight of Scarlet's bullet-riddled carcass. Cloud made a small sound in his throat, and craned his head to the horror-stricken SOLDIER, who were examining their guns. He gave his wrists a sharp tug, and the chains fell apart like butter; he rubbed his wrists, and Yuffie swallowed, then frowned.  
  
"How come you didn't tell me you could do that? Could've saved me some time."  
  
Cloud stalked over to some crate and smashed it apart, yanking out the Ultima Weapon and the Conformer; his face remained set in stone, as if now determined with a course of action. He turned and flung the Conformer at the bonds, shattering the manacles—and causing Yuffie to plop down onto the ground.  
  
"Ouch! Gawd, you could be a little gentle!" Yuffie rubbed her knees before sitting up and plucking her Conformer out of a crate; she gingerly stepped aside Scarlet's body and trotted over to Cloud. "What do we do now?"  
  
"We're going to Warehouse 7. Call Cid, and get Reeve and the Turks to come, too." Cloud's response was monotonous and prepared, stalking out of the door.  
  
"What about the search? Rufus!" Immediately, Yuffie regretted bringing it up, and one hand flew over her mouth in a feeble attempt to cover up her mistake; Cloud disregarded it, but his hand tightened over the hilt of the weapon.  
  
"Call Tifa and tell her to hurry up the search, and then when she finds him, bring him to Warehouse 7. And…" Cloud closed his eyes for a moment or two, and then they opened, gleaming with a new kind of resolve. "Tell her Scarlet said he was last seen in Nibelheim."  
  
He flung the PHS carelessly over his shoulder; Yuffie caught it, and watched his retreating back in a sort of stunned, impressed silence. Then, she grinned, and trotted after him, clutching the cell phone in one hand and the Conformer in the other.  
  
-  
  
Rufus slowly regained consciousness; this was one of the few times he hadn't remembered where he was when he awoke, and for a few fleeting moments he thought he was still on the Highwind.  
  
No such luck.  
  
He sighed, sitting up slowly and resting his feet on the floor; it felt stuffy, and that probably came from sleeping in his entire outfit for the night. Oh well. At least he got some much-needed rest. He tried to run a hand through his hair, yet his fingers found themselves caught in the mass of tangles and knots. Goddamn.  
  
At some point or another, loud swearing emitted from the base floor of the inn, followed by an eerie sort of quiet, and then finally, some pleads. Goddamn it, what now, was the place being robbed?  
  
He distinctly heard a hand closing around the doorknob to his room; he rolled his eyes and made a quick motion to withdraw the shotgun from his pocket.   
  
Unfortunately, it wasn't quick enough. A small wave of relief washed over his consciousness as he realized it was only a few AVALANCHE members standing at his doorway—and yet it somehow faltered when he found that Vincent Valentine already had the Death Penalty trained right between his eyes. Rufus's gun was barely halfway out.  
  
"What, are you going to shoot me?" he questioned intolerantly. Vincent's eyebrow twitched, and the rifle was lowered slowly.  
  
"Hello." Red XIII trotted out of the doorway, flaming tail held in the air even as he sat; his single eye scanned Rufus up and down as if he was some kind of germ, but the condescending look quickly vanished from view. "It took a bit of negotiations, but we managed to get here."  
  
"Fantastic."   
  
Red XIII cleared his throat, and then continued with a hint of intolerance in his voice (always bitter towards Shin-Ra, even Reeve and friends). "Tifa has requested your presence on the Highwind. Alongside AVALANCHE." The last part seemed to hold some bitterness in the tone, which Rufus did not fail to notice; he rolled his eyes at the closing sentence, and clasped his hands together.  
  
"Tell me. Why do you think I left?" Rufus queried, eyes narrowed in dislike. "Enlighten me with your imagination."  
  
Red XIII was silent for a moment, and then glanced up at Vincent. The black-haired man stepped forward, arms hanging limply at his sides.  
  
"Your reaction was expected." Vincent stated lifelessly, looking like a person who was doing the most boring job in the world. "However, we would not be good 'terrorists' if we didn't have some reason. Henceforth…" Looking rather disinterested in the following happenings, he stepped aside of the entrance and towards Red XIII.  
  
Tifa Lockheart hesitantly toed into the hotel room, scratching the back of her neck and looking rather timid. She gave a small grin to Vincent and Red XIII; Red XIII and Vincent nodded in return and turned on their heels, walking calmly out of the area.  
  
To tell the truth, Tifa was probably the last person Rufus wanted to see in his run. Against his will, his eyes widened somewhat in regards to her presence—something he didn't fail to cover up.  
  
"Hey." She grinned anxiously, scratching her left arm with her right hand and edging out of the doorframe. "How've you been?"  
  
Rufus was silent for what seemed almost an eternity, avoiding her cherry gaze carefully.  
  
"Just lovely." Rufus finally retorted, plopping back downwards on the bed and staring fixedly at the ceiling. "Lovely. Incredible. Marvelous." The hand wielding his shotgun loosened slightly, and he found a familiar pang of emptiness and disregard as he felt Tifa sit down on the bed next to him.   
  
"I'll take that as sarcasm."  
  
"Ding ding ding. You win a million gil. For the next question, why are Chocobos yellow?" Rufus dully glared at the popcorn ceiling as Tifa chuckled softly under her breath; it annoyed him, and yet a foreign feeling of warmth flashed through him…why? Damn it all. "How did you find me? Put a tracer in my lunch or something?"  
  
"No… Cloud said Scarlet said so."  
  
"Ah. Spikes." The ex-president blinked dismally, eyes rolling subconsciously at the mention of Cloud. "With the hair that's fun for the whole damn family." Tifa frowned slightly, but dismissed it shortly. "So, what do you want?"  
  
"I think Vincent portrayed my point just fine." She lay on the bed, resting her head in one hand so her face loomed over his. Rufus merely glanced in an opposite direction, looking impartial towards her curious stare.  
  
"Tempting offer, but I think I'll pass. I don't do the 'environmental-friendly terrorist' thing."  
  
Tifa was silent for a moment, attempting to examine his eyes; however, he simply turned away, almost as if he didn't want her to look at him. She made neither further sound nor comment and stood, promptly leaving the room. Red XIII and Vincent reentered shortly thereafter, and there was another stillness in the room—I think they were giving him condescending looks…   
  
"May I help you?" he finally asked testily. Vincent rolled blood-red eyes, apparently annoyed; he glanced at Red XIII, not really choosing to speak. The Cosmo Canyon native cleared his throat again.  
  
"I don't see the point in ignoring your heart's cries, Mr. Shinra."  
  
"…I think Hojo gave you one too many anesthetics." Rufus stared at Red XIII, quite oblivious to what he meant. The wolfish-doggish creature's single eye appeared to roll, and the X in the other one seemed to twitch slightly before remaining stagnant—his message to Vincent was very clear: this guy is really dense.  
  
Vincent had once dealt with a man like Rufus before—quite blissfully ignorant to the world of love, devotion, etc. And then due to some bizarre happenings, that man met a woman. And the first stage was denial.  
  
Lucrecia.  
  
For a moment, there was another calm; Rufus rolled his eyes and sat up, clasping his hands together and half-glaring at Red XIII and Vincent.  
  
"What's in it for me?"  
  
"Answers."  
  
The two AVALANCHE members stared at Rufus, daring him to make a decision; the ex-president appeared thoughtful, and then he smirked, standing up from the bed and pocketing his shotgun. Acknowledging this, Red XIII and Vincent turned and left the room, Rufus trailing after them. He needed answers—more ways then one.  
  
In a large hole on his flank, a small pain made itself known.  
  
Manifest. 


End file.
